Potential for organ donation in the United Kingdom: audit of intensive care records.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To determine the true potential for solid organ donation from deceased heartbeating donors and the reasons for non-donation from potential donors.

Design

An audit of all deaths in intensive care units, 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2005. The study was hierarchic, in that information was sought on whether or not brain stem testing was carried out; if so, whether or not organ donation was considered; if so whether or not the next of kin were approached; if so, whether or not consent was given; if so, whether or not organ donation took place.

Setting

341 intensive care units in 284 hospitals in the United Kingdom.

Participants

46,801 dead patients, leading to 2740 potential heartbeating solid organ donors and 1244 actual donors.

Main outcome measures

SUBMITTER: Barber K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1459557 | biostudies-literature | 2006 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature