The proposed 2011-2016 national strategy for timely and optimal management of organ and tissue donors

Abstract:

Shortage of organs available for transplantation is recognized worldwide as a significant public health problem. The 2011-2016 National Strategy for Organ Donations will be enacted in order to standardize the donor program in the Republic of Croatia. The most promising approach for increasing the organ donation rate is optimal utilisation of organs from cadaveric donors in hospitals. By introducing the “aggressive organ donor management” algorithm, the number of donors could be increased, as well as the number of donated organs per donor. The graft function and recipient survival would also be improved. Current intensive care standards are applicable to donor management. The strategy would have three medical contributions: neurological criteria for an imminent brain death, guidelines for aggressive organ donor management and expanded organ donation criteria. Adoption of the strategy would allow for planning future donations and further improvement of already excellent donor program results and transplantation medicine in Croatia. 

Key words:
brain death; donor selection; organ transplantation; patient selection; tissue and organ procurement