Donör Havuzunun Gizli Hazinesi: Greft Olarak Kullanılmayan Donör Kalplerinin Analizi The Hidden Treasure of the Donor Pool: An analysis of Donor Hearts not used as Graft

Purpose: The aim was to investigate the course of organ donation in patients with brain death, examine the steps from organ donation to transplant, reveal the reasons of donors that are not used or are refused and to propose a solution. Methods: Between January 2015 to December 2016, we reviewed data of donor registry in Ministry of Health, Department of the National of Coordination Center archives of all cadaveric donors whose family permit approved were investigated. Results: 985 donors were examined; 65% was male, mean age was 47.5 (0-96) and 65% of the donors had brain death due to neurological reasons. Mean brain death report duration was 5.4 ± 9.3 (1-169) days. A total of 169 (17.1%) infections in donors were detected. Mean intensive care unit stay was 8.55 ± 4.42 (2-38) days. Only 16.2% (159) heart grafts were used in donors. 495 (50.2%) donors were rejected for medical reasons, 64 donors (6.5%) were not eligible for heart grafts due to rejection by centers. Family approval for the heart donation was not obtained in 20% of the potential donors. 70% of donors without family approval was under 65 year-old and 67% of them did not have any medical problems for avoiding heart usage as a graft. In donors without heart approval as a graft, rate of liver use as a graft was 71% and rate for kidney was 70%. Conclusion: We need organ transplant teams who will conduct and lead the process from the diagnosis of brain death to the care of donors.