Organ Donation after Cardiac Death
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Sure. They're totally dead. Brain death is the one with more moral quandaries, IMO.
Interesting read about organ donation after cardiac death:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/17/AR2007031700963.html
Organ donation after brain death criteria has been more universally accepted than donation after cardiac death.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/17/AR2007031700963.html
Organ donation after brain death criteria has been more universally accepted than donation after cardiac death.
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Can anyone explain the difference between donation after cardiac death and donation after brain death?
Yes.
Please elaborate... 🙂
I thought that cardiac death didn't allow for all of the same organs to be usable post-death?
I think I heard this in high school many years ago and never got it corraborated, but it went something like this:
When someone is brain dead, their organs are still being perfused blood, so the person can donate those organs that get regular amounts of blood (like heart, lungs, liver, kidney, etc.)
While in cardiac death, those organs will lose blood supply and start to necrose before they can be ripped out of the patient, thus making them ill-advised transplant options. I have heard that corneas can be harvested from cardiac deaths, however?
I don't know if I'm way off base in these ideas, so if anyone can confirm/deny, that'd be useful.
I think I heard this in high school many years ago and never got it corraborated, but it went something like this:
When someone is brain dead, their organs are still being perfused blood, so the person can donate those organs that get regular amounts of blood (like heart, lungs, liver, kidney, etc.)
While in cardiac death, those organs will lose blood supply and start to necrose before they can be ripped out of the patient, thus making them ill-advised transplant options. I have heard that corneas can be harvested from cardiac deaths, however?
I don't know if I'm way off base in these ideas, so if anyone can confirm/deny, that'd be useful.
Good article on donation after cardiac death.
Basically it involves people with injuries/illnesses deemed to be non-survivable but who do not meet the criteria for brain death. Life support if withdrawn in the OR with the organ procurement team standing by and the organs are harvested as soon as cardiac activity stops.
Note this is different from tissue donation (skin, bone, cornea, etc.), which can take place hours after cardiac death.
Good start.
What are the criteria for brain death?
What are the criteria for brain death?
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