title: Organ and tissue procurement system: a novel intervention to increase organ donation rates in Venezuela.
abstract: The limited number of organs and tissues available for transplantation in Venezuela and the need to improve outcomes for patients with life-threatening end-stage organ failure or inadequate quality of life resulted in the development and implementation of an organ and tissue procurement system by the Venezuelan National Transplant Organization. This procurement system, a 24-hour, nationwide, free phone service for detection of potential organ donors, connects callers with transplant coordinators. The on-call coordinator supervises family approach as well as maintenance, transport, and allocation of the organs and tissues. During a period of 21 months, the phone service received 1191 calls (713 requesting information to become a voluntary donor, 207 requesting information about donation and transplantation, and 271 reporting potential donors). Of the potential donors, 74% were men and 67% were aged between 11 and 40 years, and most came from hospital intensive care units, emergency departments, and trauma shock units. The main causes of death were trauma and stroke. Reasons why donation was not accomplished included early cardiorespiratory arrest and denied consent. In conclusion, establishing the procurement system resulted in an increase in the detection, referral, and maintenance of potential donors; doubling of the number of donors per million population; and an increase in the number of cadaveric transplants.
authors.affiliation: Organización Nacional de Trasplante de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Carmen Luisa
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Milanes
authors.forename: Eddy
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.forename: Leyda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Homero
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sivira
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mamblona
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Clesca
authors.forename: Leoncio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Serrano
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Becerra
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: Dulce
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fuenmayor
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guacarán
authors.forename: Elba
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: D'Leön
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sanna
authors.forename: Shirley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guipe
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bernal
authors.forename: Pedro A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Rivas-Vetencourt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009938:Organizations; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014687:Venezuela