Bridging the Gap in Organ and Body Donation

When brain stem is permanently damaged, the patient is declared brain dead as he cannot regain consciousness or breathe. Brain stem is a part of a central nervous system having centre for consciousness and respiration. Heart will continue to function for 36 to 72 hrs on life support. As the blood supply is maintained to the vital organs during this period, the organs can be taken from the dead with the consent of the relatives. Such patients are usually in an intensive care unit. These are typically patients who have had head injury or brain hemorrhage or brain tumors.

Yes, it is legalized in India by “The Human Organ Transplantation Act” (HOTA).  This Act was passed in the year 1994. With this Act brain death can be recognized and if consent is obtained, the organs of the brain dead individual can be used for the purpose of donation
It mainly covers three areas:

• It recognizes brain stem death
• It regulates removal, storage and transplantation of organs
• It prevents commercial dealings in human organs. No human organ can be bought or sold.

• The organs like heart, liver, kidneys, pancreas, intestines, lungs, cornea (eyes), heart valves, bones, tendons, skin and other tissues can be donated after death.
• A living person can donate a kidney, since we have two kidneys, and a part of liver, to his/her close relative.
• Even a face transplant has been recently described.

• Yes. The body is given back to relatives to perform the last rites, after the retrieval of organs. This is different than body donation where the whole body is given to an anatomy department of a Medical College for teaching purposes.

• Each year the need for organ transplant goes on increasing, as more and more cases of end stage organ failure are detected. Majority of people die on the waiting list, since they do not get the organs on time. Donation of an organ can be seen as a noble act where the person continues to live through his organs in another individual.