Feature: Organ
Donation – the gift of life
The first transplant operations were commonly performed in Australia
in the 1940s and involved corneal transplants (eyes). The first
organ transplants were in the 1960’s beginning with kidney
transplantation. Now, thanks to medical advances, transplants of
other organs and tissues are conducted within Australia and we have
one of the highest transplant success rates in the world.
What can be donated?
Organs that can be donated include:
- Liver
- Lungs
- Heart
- Kidneys
- Pancreas
Tissues that can be donated include:
- Corneas (eyes)
- Heart valves
- Skin
- Bone
You can choose which organs/tissues you wish to donate for transplants.
You can also donate your organs or tissues to be used in medical
research, which requires separate and specific consent.
More on registration and consent
When does donation take place?
Organ donation can only occur once consent has been received and
brain death has been established, usually in the Intensive Care
Unit of a hospital. Brain death occurs when your brain stops functioning
with no prospect of recovery. It should not be confused with a coma
where a person is unconscious. In the case of a coma, the brain
may be damaged but is still functioning and may be capable of healing.
Rigorous medical tests are performed to determine the difference.
Tissue donation is not as restrictive as it can take place after
the heart has stopped beating, as well as after brain death. It
is not necessary to die in hospital for tissue donation.
Removal of organs and tissue is performed with the same care as
any other surgical procedure and the body is treated with the utmost
dignity and respect. There is no charge for the required procedure.
|
