Nonheart-beating donation in the neurologically devastated patient.
A national shortage of organs for transplantation has led to a renewed interest in an old concept of using nonheart-beating organ donors as a source of organs for transplantation. Nonheart-beating donors are patients who have organ procurement obtained after death has been declared by cardiopulmonary criteria as opposed to the traditional heart-beating donor who has been declared dead by neurological criteria. The practice seems promising to increase the available organ supply. This article reviews the history, classification, protocols, and ethical issues involved with nonheart-beating organ donation.
Manno
Edward M
EM
Department of Neurology, Division of Critical Care Neurology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. manno.edward@mayo.edu
D004992:Ethics, Medical; D006323:Heart Arrest; D006801:Humans; D009422:Nervous System Diseases; D016377:Organ Transplantation / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D018579:Patient Selection; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000941:ethics / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence