Dr Sanjeev Gulati, Director Nephrology and Kidney Transplant, Fortis Escorts, Okhla
The World Organ Donation day is celebrated every year on the 13th of August to sensitise people the need to donate organs and save lives
As per the statistics, in our country three people die of road accidents every 10 minutes; and then there are several thousands of deaths due to medical causes in young patients. On the other hand, it’s only an irony that there is a humongous list of potential organ transplant patients for Liver, kidney, heart, pancreas, intestine, heart valves, eyes etc . waiting anxiously for a kind gesture, by the cadaver donors and relatives, the divine providence by a godly human, that can save their lives !!
One of the primary reasons is the lack of awareness among the common man about the process of organ donation and the prevalence of numerous myths.
Here I debunk the top 10 myths regarding Organ Donation:
- I will become handicapped/weak if I donate my organ ( liver/kidney)
Research has shown that most living donors – over 200,000 so far – remain just as healthy after donation as people who have not donated. Kidney or liver donors are not more likely to get the disease after donating. For most donors, the remaining kidney /liver works fine for the rest of their lives. Some kidney donors might get high blood pressure or protein leakage in the future.
- My religion does not permit me to donate my organ
This is absolutely untrue as this matter has been discussed with priests from all religions in several seminars and all have unanimously concluded that no religion bars organ donation either during the lifetime or after brain death
- I am too old to donate my organs
Anyone over 18 years of age which is the legal age of consent can donate organs. None is too old to donate organs and the decision to accept an organ is taken by medical experts after proper tests to ensure that there are no medical risks to the living donor. In cadaveric donation, the decision is based on medical tests that establish that the organs are fit to be harvested
- An organ from a female cannot be transplanted into a male
This is not true as the liver and kidneys of a male and female are similar and can be transplanted safely from one to another.
- If I donate my organ I will be unable to start my family
A woman and man who donate a kidney may still have children. It is advised that a woman wait one year after donation before getting pregnant so that her body is recovered completely.
- I can buy an organ (liver/kidney) for my family member so I do not need one
The process of organ donation in or country is regulated by the Human Organ Transplantation Act which prohibits the sale and purchase of organs.
- For children, we require organs from child donors
Organs from adult donors can be transplanted safely into children. For living donors, children are not allowed to donate organs till they attain the age of consent
- Organs can be harvested after the death of a person
Once a person dies and the heart stops the organs become useless. The organs can only be removed after brain death i.e when the brain functions are gone but the heart is still beating which usually happens in Intensive care units
- During the process of removal of organs after brain death the body gets disfigured and mutilated
The process of removal of organs is carried out by experts in an operation theatre and the surgical incision that is given is neatly stitched back and there is no mutilation of the body.
- After brain death, only the liver and kidneys are harvested
An organ donation after death can save up to 8 lives as organs that can be donated from one donor include the heart, liver, kidneys, pancreas, lungs and intestines. It is true only for living donors who can donate either their liver or kidney.