FAQ's on Organ & Tissues Donation

What is an Organ?

An organ is a part of the body that performs a specific function: like your Heart, Lungs, Kidney, Liver etc.

What are the Organs that can be donated?

The organs that can be donatedare : Liver, Kidney, Pancreas, Heart, Lung, Intestine.

What is Tissue?

Tissue means a group of cells performing a particular function in the human body. Examples would be bone, skin, cornea of the eye, heart valve, blood vessels, nerves and tendon etc.

Waht are the tissues that can be donated? 

The tissues that can be donated are: Cornea, Bone, Skin, Heart Valve, blood vessels, nerves and tendon etc.

What is Organ Donation?

Organ Donation is the gift of an organ to a person with end stage organ disease and who needs a transplant.

What are the different types of Organ Donation?

There are two types of organ donation:-

• Living Donor Organ Donation: A person during his life can donate one kidney (the other kidney is capable of maintaining the body functions adequately for the donor), a portion of pancreas (half of the pancreas is adequate for sustaining pancreatic functions) and a part of the liver (the segments of liver will regenerate after a period of time in both recipient and donor).
• Deceased Donor Organ Donation: A person can donate multiple organ and tissues after (brain-stem/cardiac) death. His/her organcontinues to live in another personӳ body..

Is there any age limit for Organ Donation?

Age limit for Organ Donation varies, depending upon whether it is living donation or cadaver donation; for example in living donation, person should be above 18 year of age, and for most of the organs deciding factor is the personӳ physical condition and not the age. Specialist healthcare professionals decide which organs are suitable case to case. Organs and tissue from people in their 70s and 80s have been transplanted successfully all over the world. In the case of tissues and eyes, age usually does not matter.A deceased donor can generally donate the Organs & Tissues with the age limit of:

• Kidneys, liver:up-to 70 years
• Heart, lungs:up-to 50 years
• Pancreas, Intestine: up-to 60-65 years
• Corneas, skin: up-to 100 years
• Heart valves: up-to 50 years
• Bone: up-to 70 years

Who can be a Donor?

Living Donor: Any person not less than 18 years of age, who voluntarily authorizes the removal of any of his organ and/or tissue, during his or her lifetime, as per prevalent medical practices for therapeutic purposes.

Deceased Donor: Anyone, regardless of age, race or gender can become an organ and tissue donor after his or her Death (Brainstem/Cardiac). Consent of near relative or a person in lawful possession of the dead body is required. If the deceased donor is under the age of 18 years, then the consent required from one of the parent or any near relative authorized by the parents is essential. Medical suitability for donation is determined at the time of death.

How can i be a Donor, What is the process to take donor pledge? 

You can be a donor by expressing your wish in the authorized organ and tissue donation form (Form-7 As per THOA). You may pledge to donate your organs by signing up with our website www.notto.nic.in and register yourself as donor or for offline registration you may download Form 7 from our website. You are requested to fill the form 7 and send signed copy to NOTTO at below mentioned address:

NATIONAL ORGAN AND TISSUE TRANSPLANT ORGANISATION 4th Floor, NIOP Building, Safdarjung Hospital Campus, New Delhi-110029

Do I need to carry my donor card always?

Yes, it will be helpful for the health professionals and your family.

Do I need to register my pledge with more than one Organisation?

No, if you have already pledged with one Organisation & received a Donor Card, you need not register with any other organisation.

Can a person, without a family, register for pledge?

Yes, you can pledge, but you need to preferably inform the person closest to you in life, a friend of long standing or a close colleague, about your decision of pledging. To fulfill your donation wishes, healthcare professionals will need to speak to someone else at the time of your death for the consent.

What is the benefit to my family or me after donation of organs?

Donation of an organ or tissue provides an unparalleled opportunity to give someone a second chance of life. Your donation is not only giving impact to the life of one person or family, but it is of overall help for the society as a whole.

If I had pledged before, can I Change my mind to un-pledge?

Yes, you can unpledge by making a call to the NOTTO office or write or visit NOTTO website www.notto.nic.in and avail of the un-pledge option by logging into your account. Also, let your family know that you have changed your mind regarding organ donation pledge.

Are there any religious objections to donate Organs and Tissues?

No, none of our major religions object to donate organs and tissues, rather they all are promoting and supporting this noble cause. If you have any doubts, you may discuss with your spiritual or religious leader or advisor.

How many patients need organ Transplant in India on an average?

A-In India there is a growing need of Organ and tissue transplant due to large number of organ failure. As there is no organized data available for the required organs, the numbers is only estimates. Every year, following number of persons needs organ/tissue transplant as per organ specified:

• Kidney : 2,50,000
• Liver : 80,000
• Heart : 50,000
• Cornea : 1,00,000

The people who have pledged for Organ Donation in life, will they definitely become organ donors?

No, Only few people die in the circumstances where they are able to donate their organs. That is the reason we need people to take pledge for Organ Donation and registered them self as potential Donor.

Are donors screened to identify if they have a transmissible disease?

Yes, Blood is taken from all potential donors and tested to rule out transmissible diseases and viruses such as HIV and hepatitis. The family of the potential donor is made aware that this procedure is required.

Can I be a donor if I have an existing medical condition?

Yes, in most circumstances you can be a donor. Having a medical condition does not necessarily prevent a person from becoming an organ or tissue donor. The decision about whether some or all organs or tissue are suitable for transplant is made by a healthcare professional, taking into account your medical history.

In very rare cases, the organs of donors with HIV or hepatitis-C have been used to help others with the same conditions. This is only ever carried out when both parties have the condition. All donors have rigorous checks to guard against infection.

Can I be an organ donor, if I have been rejected to donate blood?

Yes, The decision about whether some or all organs or tissue are suitable for transplant is always made by a specialist, taking into account your medical history. There may be specific reasons why it has not been possible to donate blood, such as having anemia or had a blood transfusion or had hepatitis in the past or there may be reasons why you could not donate blood because of your health at the time - sometimes a simple thing like a cold or medication that you are taking can prevent you from donating blood.

How does whole body donation differ from organ donation?

Organ donation for therapeutic purposes is covered under the Transplantation of Human Organs Act (THOA 1994).Whole body donation is covered by the Anatomy Act 1984.

Organ and Tissue donation is defined as the act of giving life to others after death by donating his/her organs to the needy suffering from end stage organ failure.

Body donation is defined as the act of giving oneӳ body after death for medical research and education. Those donated cadavers remain a principal teaching tool for anatomists and medical educators teaching gross anatomy.

Can a dead body be left fo medical education or research after the organs have been retrieved for donation?

No, Bodies are not accepted for teaching purposes if organs have been donated or if there has been a post-mortem examination. However, if only the corneas are to be donated, a body can be left for research.

How can I help in increasing organ donation?

You can help by:

• Becoming a donor, and talking to your family about your decision of saving lives of others.
• Promoting donation by motivating people at work place, in your community, at your place of worship, and in your civic organizations.

Source : NOTTO