title: Organ donation after brain-death: experience over five-years in a tertiary hospital.
abstract: Organ transplantation is the treatment of choice for end-stage organ failure. The main challenge for organ transplantation continues to be organ shortage. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the success rate of organ donation after brain-death, as documented in a tertiary closed intensive care unit in Saudi Arabia. Data was obtained from a collected database from Jan 2001- Dec 2005. Brain death was documented in 162 patients, most of whom were young (median age was 28 +/- 17 years). The group consisted predominantly of males, 149 (92%) and Saudis 109 (67%). Only 24 (17%) positive consents to organ donation were obtained and the majority of them [21 (87%)] were from non-Saudis. Positive consent was obtained from only three percent of Saudi potential organ donors in comparison to the 40% positive rate among non-Saudis (40%) (p<0.05). In conclusion, we believe that misconceptions about brain-death are the likely causes behind this unfavorable view towards organ donations among Saudis.
authors.affiliation: Critical Care Department, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. aldawooda@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Abdulaziz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aldawood
authors.forename: Saad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al Qahtani
authors.forename: Ousama
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Dabbagh
authors.forename: Abdulla A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Al-Sayyari
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001926:Brain Death; D002648:Child; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*