In order for a person to become an organ donor, blood and oxygen must flow through the organs
until the time of recovery to ensure viability. This requires that a person die under circumstances
that have resulted in an irreparable neurological injury, usually from massive trauma to the brain
such as aneurysm, stroke or automobile accident. Only after all measures to save the patient’s
life have been taken, tests are performed to confirm the absence of brain or brain stem activity,
and brain death has been declared, is donation a possibility. The state donor registry is searched
to determine if the patient has personally consented to donation. If the potential donor is not
found on the registry, his or her legally authorized representative (usually a spouse, relative or
close friend) is offered the opportunity to authorize the donation. Once the donation decision is
established, the family is asked to provide a medical and social history. Donation professionals
determine which organs can be transplanted and to which patients on the national transplant
waiting list the organs are to be allocated.
Organ donation can occur with:
- a deceased donor, who can give kidneys, pancreas, liver, lungs, heart, intestinal organs
- a living donor, who can give a kidney, or a portion of the liver, lung, intestine, or pancreas