Module 7 - Organ Transplantation and Allocation

Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN)

• Responsible for overseeing organ allocations and distribution

• National computerized organ matching system that helps allocate organs to candidates based on medical urgency, compatibility, and other factors

• The allocation criteria varies by organ

  • Mostly centers around severity of the condition, blood type compatibility, tissue matching, distance between donor and recipients, and time spent on waiting list

Uniform Anatomical Gift Act (UAGA)

• Adopted by many US states to govern the donation of organs, tissues, and other anatomical gifts for transplantation, research, and education.

• Legal framework for individual to express their wishes regarding organ donation

Types of Organ Transplants

• Kidney Transplant: A healthy kidney is transplanted from a living or deceased donor into a recipient with kidney failure.

• Liver Transplant: A portion of a living donor's liver or a whole liver from a deceased donor is transplanted into a recipient with liver failure.

• Heart Transplant: A healthy heart is transplanted from a deceased donor to a recipient with severe heart failure.

• Lung Transplant: One or both lungs are transplanted from a deceased donor to a recipient with end-stage lung disease.

• Pancreas Transplant: A pancreas may be transplanted along with a kidney to treat diabetes and kidney failure.

• Intestine Transplant: Transplantation of the small intestine, large intestine, or both may be performed for certain intestinal diseases.

Living Donors vs. Deceased Donors

• Living Donor Transplants: In some cases, living individuals can donate a kidney, a portion of their liver, or, rarely, a lung or part of the intestine.

• Deceased Donor Transplants: Organs such as the heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, and kidneys can be retrieved from individuals who have died and have chosen to donate their organs (or from individuals who are declared brain dead).