Organ Donation

Specialties > Medical ethics & law

Introduction:

Organ donation is the process by which a person’s organs are removed for the purpose of transplanting them into another person.
It can be life-saving and significantly improve the quality of life for recipients.
In the UK, there’s an “opt-out” system, meaning unless an individual has expressed a wish not to donate after death, they will be considered a potential donor.

Types of Donation

Living donation: A living person donates an organ or part of an organ. Commonly includes:
- Kidney
- Part of the liver
- Part of the lung
Deceased donation: Organs are donated after the donor’s death. Can further be categorised into:
- Donation after brain death (DBD)
- Donation after circulatory death (DCD)

Factors that preclude organ donation

Infectious Risks:

- HIV (though with advancements, some centres may consider HIV+ donors for HIV+ recipients)
- Active tuberculosis
- Prion diseases e.g., Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

Malignancy: Most active cancers, to avoid transmission to recipients. Exceptions include:

- Primary brain tumours (without metastasis outside CNS)
- Low-risk skin cancers like basal cell carcinoma

Severe, irreversible organ damage or dysfunction.
Systemic diseases that could affect organ function.
Age: While there’s no strict age limit, organ function is assessed and older age might preclude certain organ donations.

Assessment for organ donation

Thorough medical and social history to assess suitability.
Relevant investigations, including imaging and blood tests, to check organ function and rule out contraindications.
Consultation with family or next of kin to ensure understanding and gain consent if needed.

Communication

Engaging in sensitive and clear communication with the donor’s family is essential, ensuring they understand the process and implications.
Respect for religious and cultural beliefs.
Addressing any concerns or misconceptions promptly.

Ethical considerations

Respect for autonomy: Ensuring informed consent is obtained.
Beneficence: The act of donation should have a net positive effect on the recipient.
Non-maleficence: Ensuring minimal harm to living donors.
Justice: Ensuring equitable distribution of organs.

No comments yet 😉

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Don't take our word for it

"The stations you provide are strikingly similar to those I came across during my medical school finals (some even verbatim!), and I have tried many other exam platforms. I'm truly grateful for your priceless support throughout my final couple of years at medical school!"

Raza Q 🇬🇧

"It has absolutely everything for medical school, so many histories with detailed differential diagnoses, how to approach emergencies, commonly prescribed drugs..every kind go examination you’ll ever need in osces"

John R 🇬🇧

"Thank you SO MUCH for the amazing educational resource. I’ve tried lots of platforms and books with mock OSCE stations and yours is by far and away the best I’ve tried"

Ed M 🇳🇿

"Get this right away. So helpful for OSCEs but also general clinical learning and understanding. Wish I had brought it sooner"

Emma W 🇬🇧

"Without a doubt, your platform outshines all other OSCE resources currently available. In all honesty, I can confidently attribute my success in securing a distinction in my finals to OSCEstop."

Harish K 🇬🇧

"OSCEstop distinguishes itself from many other platform banks by offering a wealth of questions that mimic the demanding and complex aspects of our finals. This platform played a crucial role in ensuring I was ready for the level of difficulty that awaited me in my final exams."

Natasha W 🇳🇿

😃 More:

📖 Learning notes: 247

🏥 Stations available: 207

🧠 Qbank questions: 2255