Organ, Eye and Tissue Donation
Choosing to be an organ, eye and tissue donor is a powerful decision.Â
You can give the gift of life to others by registering to be a donor today. Learn more about the organ donation process below.
How Does Organ, Eye and Tissue Donation Work?
Traumatic Injuries & End of Life Care
Unfortunately, traumatic injuries happen. When they do, emergency medical personnel on the scene and doctors in the hospital will make every effort to restore life to the patient, regardless of one’s organ donor designation status.
Organ Transplant Referral
Hospitals are solely responsible for declaring death. Infinite Legacy is not involved in patient care and only has authority to proceed with organ recovery after an independent hospital doctor has declared death. If a patient is declared dead by a doctor(s) in a Maryland, Northern Virginia or Washington, DC hospital, the hospital will refer the patient case to Infinite Legacy, this region’s organ procurement organization (OPO).
Patient Evaluation for Organ Donation
Only once death is declared by the hospital doctor(s), a specially trained organ recovery specialist from Infinite Legacy will go to the hospital and evaluate if the patient is medically suitable to be an organ donor.
First Person Authorization
Infinite Legacy will check local, state and national registries to see if the patient is a registered organ donor. If so, we will inform the family that their loved one was registered to give the gift of life to others in need of an organ, eye or tissue transplant. Infinite Legacy has a legal obligation to honor all end-of-life decisions, including donor designation. The states of Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia recognize that registering to be an organ donor is a legally binding decision that Infinite Legacy and hospitals are required to honor after death.
Family Approval & Authorization
If a patient is not registered to be an organ donor, but is determined medically suitable to be one, a specially trained family services coordinator from Infinite Legacy will discuss organ, eye and tissue donation options with the patient’s family. The family can ask questions and reflect before deciding on behalf of their loved one.
Organ, Eye & Tissue Recovery
If authorization is granted either through first-person authorization or family authorization, the patients’ viable organs and tissues will be recovered by surgical teams. Next, an organ candidate will be selected by a computer matching system based on factors such as blood and tissue type, organ/tissue size, how sick the patient is, time spent waiting and geographic proximity to the donor hospital.
Planning Funeral Arrangements
The decision to be an organ, eye and donor does not affect having an open casket nor does it delay any funeral services.
What Organs Can Be Donated?
Kidneys
- The kidneys filter wastes and excess water from the blood and balance the body’s fluids.
While waiting for a kidney transplant, many patients undergo dialysis to remove toxins from their blood. Some conditions that could make a kidney transplant necessary are high blood pressure, diabetes and cystic kidney disease.
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Kidneys are the most needed and most transplanted organ.
Heart
- The heart is the body’s hardest working muscle – it beats 60–80 times each minute as it pumps blood throughout the body.
- Some conditions that can make a heart transplant necessary are cardiomyopathy, heart failure, myocarditis and heart disease.
Lung
- The trachea or windpipe carries air to the lungs where alveoli (tiny air sacs like folded balloons) extract oxygen and exchange it for carbon dioxide.
- A single lung can save a life. One donor can save the lives of two people by donating both their lungs.
- Some conditions that can make a lung transplant necessary are cystic fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, emphysema and pulmonary edema.
Liver
- The liver is a complex organ that has more than 500 known functions. It breaks down harmful substances in the blood, produces bile that aids in digestion and stores vitamins, sugars and fats.
- A donated liver can sometimes be split between two recipients, so one donor can potentially save the lives of two people.
- Some conditions that can make a liver transplant necessary are birth defects of the liver or bile duct, chronic liver infections like hepatitis or damage to the organ from drugs or alcohol.
Pancreas
- The pancreas produces insulin, a hormone that helps the body use glucose (sugar) for energy, and enzymes that break down fat, protein and carbohydrates during digestion.
- The pancreas is often transplanted with a kidney because diabetes affects both organs.
Intestines
- The intestines digest food and absorb nutrients in the blood stream.
- Some conditions that could make an intestine transplant necessary are twisted or blocked intestines or short-gut syndrome.
What Tissues Can Be Donated?
Corneas
- Corneas are the clear, dome-shaped window covering the front of the eye.
- Corneal transplants may be necessary following traumatic accidents to the eye, infections or inherited eye diseases. Corneal transplants restore sight to those who have lost their vision.
- Anyone, regardless of age or medical condition, can donate their whole eyes or cornea for transplant and/or research.
Skin
- Skin is the body’s first defense against microbes and regulates heat and fluids in the body.
- Utilized in medical therapy applications for wound care as well as for patients suffering from burns or other serious injuries. In the most severe cases, these dressings help heal and repair burns and may be the only effective treatment to save a burn survivor’s life.
- Thicker skin grafts can be transplanted for reconstructive surgeries such as breast reconstruction after a lifesaving mastectomy.
Heart Valves
- Blood is pumped through the heart’s four chambers aided by four heart valves that open and close to prevent blood from flowing backward.
- Heart valve replacements are essential for patients who suffer from congenital heart defects or diseases such as endocarditis, rheumatic fever, infections of the heart or for children born with malformed valves. Human heart valves provide the best long-term results and the best quality of life for the recipient and can be lifesaving.
Pericardium
- The pericardium is the membrane surrounding the heart that is used in brain and eye surgeries to reduce the risk of infection as well as wound care applications.
M/S Grafts (Bone and Connective Tissue)
- Bones are made up of living protein fibers that constantly rebuild themselves.
- Bone is used in a multitude of clinical applications (large and small) for painful and debilitating disorders that often render patients unable to stand, walk or function normally. Donated bone is effective in treating spinal fusions (often due to slipped disks), bone fractures, dental repairs, jaw surgery, replacement of malignant bone and the threat of amputation.
- Cartilage can be used for nose, facial and ear reconstruction. Specifically, if someone has skin cancer removed from their nose, the cartilage is used to assist in the reconstruction and repair. Using one’s own cartilage could create more infection, so it is preferred to use donor tissue.
- Connective tissue includes tendons, ligaments and cartilage that can be used in a variety of back, joint and leg surgeries such as hip replacement, knee reconstruction and spinal fusion. They are also used to repair common sports injuries such as ACL tears.
Arteries/Veins
- Arteries carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body and veins bring the deoxygenated blood back.
- Saphenous and Femoral Veins/Arteries provide oxygen and collect deoxygenated blood from tissues in your lower leg and helps move it to your heart.
- Donated veins are utilized for patients who suffer from kidney disease/failure or those who require hemodialysis. Veins can be used for infections of the AV access (needed for hemodialysis), restoration of blood flow to the arms or legs, bypass surgeries that occur below the knee or as a replacement for a patient’s native vein/artery.
- The Aorto-Iliac is the main blood vessel carrying oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the rest of the body. These grafts are used in patients who have infected aneurysms or prosthetic graft infections.
FACT:
One organ donor can save up to 8 lives and save and heal more than 75 lives through tissue donation.
FACT:
A kidney is the most needed organ transplant in Maryland, Northern Virginia and Washington, DC.
FACT:
13 people die each day while waiting for an organ transplant.
FACT:
There are more than 100,000 people waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant in the United States.
FACT:
Almost 4,000 people are waiting for an organ transplant in Maryland, Northern Virginia and Washington, DC.
What is VCA Donation?
Vascular Composite Allograft (VCA) is a form of organ donation that includes donating organs like hands, feet, uteri and more. VCA recipients have often experienced a traumatic event or accident that significantly changed their lifestyle and physical appearance. VCA donation has the power to increase a recipient’s quality of life and movement. It can even provide psychological and physical healing.
How is Tissue Donation Different from Organ Donation?
While less than one percent of deaths meet the criteria for organ donation, a majority of people are eligible to be tissue donors. Hospitals are required to report all deaths to their designated organ procurement organization (OPO).
If the tissue donor meets donor eligibility, the registry is checked. Once authorization is verified or consent is given by the potential donor’s family, a medical team is dispatched by the OPO. Each tissue donor can save and enhance more than 75 lives.
Research, Therapy & Non-Traditional Transplant
Register to be an Organ, Eye & Tissue Donor
You have the power to give the gift of life and save others. If you have any questions regarding your current registration or registering to be an organ, eye & tissue donor, please feel free to contact us.