Posted by Alan F. Bachrach, M.D. on January 02, 2000 at 17:05:52:
In Reply to: Re: JDF Research Centers and Special Grants posted by Barry on January 02, 2000 at 12:01:41:
Dear Barry,
First, I am neurologist in solo private practice. My perspective is that obtained by having served on the ethics committee at my hosptial and by taking care of a number of patients with severe brain damage - particularly, post cardiac arrest and recusitation. I am not a transplant expert and would have to defer to one with regard to all of your questions regarding islet viability and so forth.
At least in my hospital in Tennessee there are a series of forms that must be filled out when someone comes into the hospital. I would imagine the same is true for those who enter a hospice program. Technically (and I think in actual practice) the nurses at my hospital are supposed to notify Tennessee Donor Services of every single death that occurs in the hospital and Donor Services then makes a determination depending on the particulars as to whether the family should be approached. Our hospital runs about 110 beds filled per day (when I came to the hospital, we ran about 220 beds per day but then managed care became prevalent and Columbia Healthcare bought the hospital, consolidated services with others in this city, and ....... the rest is a long sad story). We are lucky if we secure 1 (that's ONE) viable organ donor per year. And that's with virtually all possible candidates (their families) being approached! (Sorry, but I can't give you the number of viable candidates as I haven't served on the committee in several years, but because of the issues noted in my last posting, it is not a large number. Trauma centers would probably have the greatest number of viable candidates.)
Even though your grandmother was approached, I imagine it was just administrative (i.e., had to fill out the forms) and there was no serious possibility of her being a donor. I think there are possibly a few cancers which would not prevent donation (maybe basal cell skin cancer) but most carcinomas such as lung, colon, breast, kidney, ovarian, etc (as far as I know) preclude donation.
We all do what we can. The most we can ask is that people be willing to donate if the opportunity arises.
Alan