The need for organ donation in Hawaii.
Donor organ availability is the primary limiting factor in organ transplantation. The number of patients on the national organ waitlist has increased to more than 32,000, while the number of donors has remained fairly constant at approximately 4,500 per year. In Hawaii, there are 98 patients awaiting organ transplants, and for the past 5 years, the average number of donors per year was 15. The criteria for organ donation, brain death, approaches to donation request, and the management of the multiple organ donor are discussed.
Limm
W M
WM
Department of Surgery, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu.
Wheeler
M S
MS
Ishimoto
S
S
O'Friel
M
M
Cheung
A H
AH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002423:Cause of Death; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006254:Hawaii; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016377:Organ Transplantation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*