Organ Transplantation

Why is Organ Donation So Important?  There are around 1600 people currently waiting for a transplant in Australia  In 2012, 354 organ donors gave 1052 Australians a second chance at life.  790 new people joined the organ waiting list in 2012  Organ donations in Australia are up by 43% since 2009

Australian Transplant Waiting List Type of Transplant# of Patients Waiting Kidney 1,080 Liver 173 Lung 149 Heart 97 Pancreas 35 Intestines 2 Total patients 1,536 Source: Australian and New Zealand Organ Donation Registry Updated 3/12/2012

The Basic Process of Organ Transplantation Organ is removed from either a dead person, or in some cases, a living person (when not an essential organ) Organ is transported to the recipients location Organ is inserted and connected to patient Damaged organ is sometimes removed Donor organs are not always connected in the same place as the original organ

What Can Be Donated?

Kidneys  End Stage Renal Disease  Diabetes with Renal Disease  High Blood Pressure  Polycystic Kidney Disease

Heart  Cardiomyopathy  (heart muscle disease)  Coronary Artery Disease  Congenital Heart Disease  (Heart disease present at birth)  Valvular Heart Diseases

Lungs  Emphysema  Cystic Fibrosis  Pulmonary Fibrosis  Primary Pulmonary Hypertension  Congenital Defects

Liver  Hepatitis  A,B,C  Cirrhosis  Scarring of liver  Final stage of chronic liver disease  Metabolic problems  Inability to absorb proteins

Isolated Pancreas  Diabetes Type I without Renal Disease  Hypoglycemic Unawareness  Pancreas after Kidney Transplant

Simultaneous Kidney- Pancreas  Diabetes Type I with End Stage Renal Disease

Small Intestines  Short Gut Syndrome  Severe Vascular Disease  Frequently in Children

What Can Be Donated? (cont.)  Skin for burn victims  Bone  Connective Tissue  Ligaments  Tendons  Heart for valves/pericardium  Arteries and Veins  Eyes (corneas) Tissues and Eyes

What Can Be Donated? (cont.) The Differences…. Organ Donation The patient must be maintained by a mechanical ventilator Organs must be properly preserved and transplanted quickly Life-saving procedure Tissue/Eye Donation Occurs in the first 24 hours after the heart has stopped beating The tissues can be preserved and used at a later date Life-enhancing procedure

Current Criteria for Organ Donation  Patients who have been declared brain dead  Up to age 75 – flexible – there was a 96 y.o. donor in USA  No active malignancy  Exception: Non melanoma skin cancer  A person testing HIV positive may be excluded

Selection of a suitable recipient  how long the person has been waiting for a transplant  their immediate medical condition  the urgency for a transplant  how well the tissue/organs match the person  whether the organ can be made available to the person in time.

Not considered when selecting a suitable recipient  Age  Gender  Sexuality  Past life choices leading to the need for an organ  (NOTE: In some instances, age will be considered if a recipient is suffering other age related conditions)

Organ Preservation Time  Heart: 4 to 6 hours  Lungs: 4 to 6 hours  Liver: 12 hours  Pancreas: 12 to 18 hours  Kidneys: 72 hrs.  Small Intestines: 4 to 6 hrs.