Transplant

Currently in the UK, organ donation is voluntary and organ donors carry a card stating which organs they are willing to donate after death. However in Wales there is a new scheme proposed for 2015, where it will be presumed that organs are for donation after death unless people have stated otherwise. This is known as the ‘Human Transplantation Act 2013’ and it is hoped it will raise the transplant donation by 25%.

There is a huge demand for organ donation, for example within 2012, 7593 people were left on the waiting list despite 2413 people having donated. There is a huge need for an increase in donators from certain ethnicities, such as in Asian communities where kidney failure is three times more likely therefore the need for donors is more. It is important is important the organ is matched well to the recipient for the greatest chance of success, and those from the same ethnic group are likely to be a close match. Those who are rare tissue types may only be able to accept organ donations from someone in the same ethnic origin.

Before organ transplant occurs, it has to be insured blood type of donor and recipient is compatible, and that the organ is healthy. Although the checking must be thorough, it has to happen quickly due to the lifespan of organs outside the body. For example, thoracic organs such as the heart and lungs can survive outside the body for only 4-6 hours while kidneys can survive up to 36 hours and livers, up to 12. The proximity of the donor and recipient is also an important factor and can be a main decider on whether the transplant can occur.  

References:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-24032031
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Organ-donation/Pages/Introduction.aspx http://organdonor.gov/about/organmatching.html