According to media reports, actress Anne Heche is only kept alive by machines. The Hollywood star made the decision to donate her organs in the event of her death long before her car accident. How an organ donation works and what you should know about it.
Actress Anne Heche suffered severe brain injuries in a car accident and is likely to die like him star reported. According to her family, the Hollywood star has long since decided to donate her organs in such a case. It is currently being examined which of their organs are suitable for donation. We explain how such an organ donation works in Germany.
How many people in Germany need an organ donation?
In Germany there are around 8,700 people on the waiting list for a donor organ. In 2021 there were 933 organ donors nationwide. That is 11.2 donors per million inhabitants.
In 2021, 826 people on the waiting list for organ donation died. In 2021 there were 933 postmortem organ donations in Germany. In 2017 there were only 797 people in the whole of Germany who donated organs after their death – that was the lowest level in 20 years.
Which organs can be donated at all?
It is about the kidneys, heart, liver, lungs, pancreas, small intestine and tissue when talking about organ donation. In Germany, most people are waiting for a kidney. Since everyone has two kidneys, but only needs one to survive, there is also the possibility of a living donation for this organ.
Are all of these organs removed from organ donors?
Not necessarily. Before organs are removed, doctors check the condition of the organs during a medical examination. Only organs that are still functional are removed. However, organ donors can also note on their ID card that only certain organs may be removed after their death.
What are the requirements for organ donation?
- Before their death, the person must have stated their willingness to donate their organs in an organ donor card or living will. If the position of the deceased is not known, the relatives must agree to a donation.
- The person must be brain dead. However, the organs still have to be supplied with blood.
- A medical examination must show that the deceased was in good health. Cancer or infectious diseases must be ruled out. Only efficient and healthy organs are removed.
- There is no age limit for organ donation.
How does an organ donation work?
The first step is to clarify the requirements for organ donation. If a deceased person consented to organ donation before they died and their organs are still healthy, they are removed in an operation. According to the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA), this takes place with the same care as with living patients.
In order to be able to find suitable recipients, the donor organs are medically examined and tissue characteristics and blood group are recorded. If a suitable recipient is found, he or she will have the organ transplanted in an operation. In order for an organ transplant to be successful in the long term, a rejection reaction must be prevented. To do this, transplant recipients must take medication that suppresses the immune system.
What does it mean when someone is brain dead?
When someone is brain dead, important parts of the brain stop working or the organ has completely lost its ability to function. The cardiovascular system can only be kept alive artificially through intensive care measures. This allows the organs of a deceased person to continue to be supplied with oxygen and remain functional. Without intensive medical measures such as artificial respiration, brain death would quickly lead to cardiovascular arrest. According to the BZgA, brain death is a rare phenomenon that can only be detected in the intensive care unit of a hospital.
When is a doctor allowed to declare a person brain dead?
Brain death is determined by a multi-stage medical procedure. At least two specially qualified doctors must independently diagnose brain death. There are strict requirements for this from the German Medical Association and it can take several hours to days.
How is it decided who gets a donor organ?
In Germany there is a waiting list for people who need an organ. Who gets on the waiting list is decided according to the guidelines of the German Medical Association. In Germany there are around 50 transplant centers where transplants can be carried out. You put patients on the waiting list. Data such as medical history, tissue characteristics and blood group are recorded. This data is transmitted to Eurotransplant. This is a non-profit foundation that organizes the allocation of donor organs. The following criteria play a role in the award:
- Young patients and children may be given preference over old people.
- chances of success of the transplant
- Urgency for survival and quality of life
- The transport time from donor to recipient should be as short as possible.
- Donor and recipient should be of similar weight and height.
- The tissue characteristics should match as far as possible
Source:
Source: Stern
