Organ transplantation is the surgical procedure by which an organ or tissue is replaced with a healthy one . The importance of transplants is that they provide the solution to various chronic conditions like kidney failure, liver failure, heart and lung failure etc.
Unfortunately, in our country, waiting lists for a transplant are becoming longer over time. In this year alone, 10, 692 people required a kidney transplant and only 981 received one. The following is important information regarding the transplantation of organs and tissues:
- Not all people who die can be organ donors. In the case of people who die of brain death, when the brain stops receiving blood, they can donate all tissues and organs (heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, pancreas, corneas, etc.). However, most people die due to cardiac arrest regardless of the condition or situation that causes the heart function to stop. For these cases only, they can donate tissues such as corneas. Whatever the case, it is always necessary to carry out a medical examination to assess the condition of the body and each organ.
- You can make a living organ transplant. In some cases, a living person can donate an organ or portion of it, as long as his/her health is not affected. For example, living kidney donation is possible because the human being can lead a normal life with one. In other cases, it is possible to donate a portion of the liver. Although humans can survive with a single lung, this type of organ transplant is much less frequent.
- In the future, artificial organs could be used. This consisted of manufactured transplanted kidneys. Although they do not provide 100% efficient performance, they represent a breakthrough in terms of regenerative medicine.
- Not all organs and tissues can be donated. Organs that can be donated in our country are the heart, kidneys, liver, pancreas, and lungs. Tissues can also be donated like skin, bone, bone marrow, cartilage, tendons, arteries, and veins.
- Not all organs are transplantable in our country. On the other hand, lung transplantation is the least common because of the sensitivity of these and the degree of difficulty involved.
- There are two types of donation. Organ donation can be express or implied. Tacit donation refers to cases of people who in life did not express any negative for their organs to be donated so that only the closest family consent is required. On the other hand, the express grant refers to cases where a person verbally or in writing expresses his/her wish to donate their organs on death.
- The organs and tissues with increased demand in our country are the kidneys and corneas, respectively.
There are many who are in dire need of a new vital organ in place of their own dysfunctional ones. Therefore, donating organs is something that anyone can consider in order to give a new lease of life to a fellow human being.
