Definition of Organ donation

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Most donations are from heart-beating donors. This means they have died in intensive care but artificial breathing and heartbeat are kept going until the donated organs have been retrieved. This method has a greater success rate because the organs are maintained by oxygenated blood until removal.

Organs, particularly kidneys, bone and skin, can also be donated from non heart-beating donors; this means that the heart has stopped (cardiac arrest) and the patient cannot be resuscitated.

A live organ donation is when a family member donates one of their organs to another family member who needs it. Usually the relative is blood related, most commonly a parent, although it could be a spouse.

The organs need to be transplanted into the other person within a matter of hours.

Doctors make sure the blood group and tissue are compatible before the operation to establish the likelihood of success, as well as screening for transmittable diseases. The better the match, the greater the chance of a successful outcome. People from the same ethnic group are more likely to be a close match. Some people with rare tissue types may only be able to accept an organ from someone of the same ethnic origin, so it is important that people from all ethnic backgrounds donate organs.

What can be donated?

Kidneys

An estimated 100,000 people in the UK suffer from some form of kidney disease. A kidney transplant is generally more effective in treating kidney failure than many other forms of treatment, such as dialysis. Not needing to continue on dialysis has an enormous impact on quality of life. There will also be an increase in life expectancy and general health.

Most kidneys for transplants come from people who have died in a hospital intensive care unit, but a fifth of all kidney transplants are from live donations. Live donations are usually more effective than donations from people who have died, as the kidneys usually start working immediately after the operation. The operation is a major one, but there is minimal risk to the donor and they can continue a normal life with only one kidney.

Liver

There are approximately 700 liver transplants performed each year in the UK. Alcohol abuse is the main reason for needing a new liver. Liver transplants have an 80% success rate.

Heart

About 150-200 heart transplants are carried out in the UK each year. Most heart transplants are carried out on people with severe heart failure (caused by coronary heart disease or cardiomyopathy) who have a life expectancy of 12 to 18 months and who can no longer be helped by medication or other surgical therapy. The survival rate following a heart transplant is approximately 85%.

Lungs

Lungs can be damaged by illnesses like cystic fibrosis, or respiratory conditions such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema, which are often the result of smoking. Patients are considered for lung transplantation when their lung function cannot be significantly improved by medical therapy or surgery. Lung and heart/lung transplants have a 70% success rate.

A combined heart-lung transplant or lungs-only transplant is often the best treatment for patients with severe cystic fibrosis. Lung transplant is the only treatment for some forms of respiratory failure.

Small bowel and pancreas

The small bowel can be damaged so much by severe infection or in an accident that the person can no longer absorb enough food to stay alive. Transplantation of the pancreas and small bowel is not yet widely available on the NHS.

Currently, pancreatic transplantation is offered only to people with very severe diabetes and renal failure who have both a kidney and pancreas transplant at the same time. Occasionally, a diabetic may have such uncontrollable disease that transplant of a pancreas alone may be considered.

Corneas

Serious injury to the cornea can lead to scarring that prevents light from passing through to the retina and causes partial or complete blindness.

Over 2,200 people have their sight restored by cornea transplants each year in the UK. Cornea transplants are generally highly successful and can be carried out under general or local anaesthetic.

Tissue

Many kinds of tissue can be donated after death. Unlike organs, tissue can be donated up to 24 hours after the heart has stopped beating. Up to 50 people can benefit from the donated tissue of one person.

Heart valves

Heart valves can be transplanted to save the lives of patients, including young children, suffering from diseased or damaged valves. Last year, 800 heart valve transplants were carried out in the UK.

Bone

Bone is vitally important for grafts that are used in operations aimed at reducing the patient's pain, and improving or restoring their mobility. Approximately 10,000 bone transplants are performed every year.

Skin

Skin can be transplanted to treat patients with severe burns.