Each year thousands of Americans could benefit from a heart transplant. But only 2,192 heart transplants were done in the United States in 2006.
What should families know about organ donation?
The public may be misinformed about some aspects of the organ donation issue. Here are the facts:
- If you'd like to donate your heart or other organs when you die, be sure to tell members of your family. In some states, you can state your wishes on the back of your driver's license. You may also contact an organ donation organization to ask for more information.
- Families of donors don't have to pay for removing their loved one's organs.
- At least 42 states and the District of Columbia have "required request" laws. That means hospitals must have policies and procedures to tell families about organ donation.
- All hospitals must have policies and procedures that identify potential donors. Hospitals with Medicare and Medicaid programs must also notify an organ procurement organization (OPO) of potential donors.
- An OPO is a member in the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). UNOS maintains computerized data on potential recipients and donors. UNOS also has a Web site, www.unos.org. It has statistics on waiting times and transplant results. Patients can use it to compare hospitals in their area.
- The family of a possible donor makes the final decision. If they haven't been asked to donate and they'd like to, they should ask the doctor or nurse. If the family decides not to donate, the organs won't be removed.
- Most donors give multiple organs. For example, the heart, liver, kidneys, pancreas and lungs might be taken from one donor. The hospital staff person in charge of identifying donors will find out if the organs are suitable for transplant. Then this person works with the OPO representative to coordinate the distribution of organs.
What about heart donation?
- Donor hearts are given based on the donor's blood type and body weight, and the potential recipient's blood type, body weight, severity of illness and geographic location. Seriously ill patients at a nearby transplant center have priority.
- A suitable donor is a young to middle-aged person who's been declared brain dead based on standard criteria and whose heart still works well. All donors are screened to make sure the hepatitis B and C and human immunodeficiency (AIDS-producing) viruses aren't present.
- A heart can be disconnected from a person's circulation for about four hours and still work properly. Thus time is critical. When the heart is removed, the transplant team puts it in a special cold solution to keep it alive (even though it's not beating). Then it's rushed to the hospital where the recipient is located.
For more information, contact UNOS at www.unos.org.
Related AHA publications:
Related AHA Scientific Statements:
Heart Transplant
