Organ donation is the entire practice of retrieving a human organ from a living or deceased
person, who is referred to as a Donor, and transplanting it into a recipient. The recipient
will be a patient who is suffering from organ failure and who will not survive unless she/he
receives an organ replacement. The process of recovering organs is called Retrieval.
Which Organs Can Be Donated?
Let’s take a closer look at the different organs that can be donated by a person after death
and while the person is still alive. There are eight organs that can be donated and
transplanted:
- KIDNEYS: Both kidneys can be donated by a deceased donor. On average the lifespan
of a transplanted kidney is around 10-12 years for cadaveric donor and 15-20 years for related life donors.
Of all organs in the human body, the demand for kidneys is the highest, and kidneys are
the most frequently donated organs. A kidney disease most likely affects both kidneys at
the same time. A living donor can easily donate one kidney to someone and function well
for the rest of their lives.
- LIVER: The liver is an important organ with primary functions of bile production &
excretion; excretion of bilirubin, cholesterol, hormones, and drugs; metabolism of fats,
proteins and carbohydrates; enzyme activation; storage of glycogen, vitamins and
minerals; synthesis of plasma proteins; blood detoxification and purification. The liver
is the only organ in the human body that can grow cells and regenerate. A donated liver
from someone who has died (a deceased donor) can further be split into two pieces and
transplanted into two different people to save their lives. A living donor can have a
portion of her/his liver removed to donate to someone, and the remaining portion will
regenerate to almost its full previous size.
- HEART: A heart is a muscular organ which pumps blood through the human body. In a
person’s life, the heart will beat around 2.5 billion times on average and keep the
blood running in the body. After being retrieved from the donor, a heart can survive for
4-6 hours only.
- LUNGS: Single or double-lung transplants can be performed from deceased donors.
Additionally, living donors can donate a single lobe from the lungs, though it will not
regenerate.
- PANCREAS: A deceased donor pancreas can be transplanted into an ailing patient. A living
donor can also donate a portion of the pancreas and still retain pancreas functionality.
- INTESTINE: After death, a donor can donate their intestine. Although quite rare, a
living donor can donate a portion of the intestine.
In addition to organs, you can also donate tissues such as corneas, skin, bones, ligaments,
heart valves etc.