A patient, if all the organs survive, one heart two lungs two kidneys, liver two parts can be transplanted into a recipient. This is actually a very systematic and organised way of organisation.
Organ donation is a noble deed. One can do it while living or even after death. Living organ donation means that a healthy person donates part of his liver, a single kidney or bone marrow to another needy person. After liver donation, the donor person remains healthy.
According to Dr Anand Bhabhor - Additional Director - Critical Care Medicine - Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre, after donating a kidney, a person can live a normal life. Similarly, after bone marrow donation, the donor can live a normal life without any problems.
The rules for living donation are huge. Living donation is an elective surgery. Donation after brain death is the need of the hour. Brain death is practically death, but the heart and other organs are functioning on life support. Brain death must be certified by two different specialist doctors not involved in the patient's care.
Which organs can be donated
Two apnea tests are done along with clinical examination to confirm brain death. Two tests are done at an interval of six hours. If the patient's family is willing to donate organs, the donor's health is taken care of so that he is healthy for organ transplant. Various organs like heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, intestines, pancreas, skin, eyes, tissues can be donated.
How is brain donation done
The law of organ donation after brain death is very strict, rigorous and transparent. The patient cannot have priority, the list for organ recipients must be followed. Organ donation after brain death is an emergency surgery unlike living donation. There is a shortage of organs and there is a huge list of recipients waiting for organs. Organs cannot be made in a laboratory. These can be given by one person to another. We all should pledge to donate organs.
How does living organ donation happen
Process of living organ donation-The organ donor is usually primary or secondary. A close family member whose group matches the organ recipient. A thorough examination and investigation is done to evaluate the suitability of the donor. Certain legal formalities have to be completed before living organ donation, close family members like husband, wife, children, parents, grandparents are the first relatives, for living donation the name of the second relative comes.
Living donation is an elective procedure. Both the donor and recipient are admitted to the same hospital and treated as needed. Either part of the liver or a kidney can be donated and operated on in the recipient. The donor is usually discharged in 7-10 days. The biggest challenge is matching the blood group. Since it is an elective surgery, the results are better.