Organ Donation: Home

Advances in the science of immunology have improved the success rate of organ transplantations since the mid twentieth century. Organ transplantation is now a lifesaving medical procedure for thousands of patients around the world with end-organ diseases. The lifesaving potential of transplantation has been limited by the number and quality of appropriate organ donors. The evolution of brain death criteria by the Harvard Ad-Hoc Committee Report has opened the door to understanding the importance of medical, legal and ethical challenges of organ donation in support of the growth of the transplant science. The possibility of organ donation from living donors has enhanced organ availability for patients with kidney failure. Modern inotropes and immunosuppression regimens have been critical to the success of other organ transplant procedures. However, the cornerstone of successful transplantation continues to be the appropriate selection, evaluation, preservation of organ tissues and the successful surgical procurement process to mitigate the impact of tissue ischemia and reperfusion. In this textbook, the art and science of organ donation and tissue preservation is examined. Through this authoritative text by leaders in the field, the editors provide a state of the art review of modern preservation techniques, patient selection and screening criteria, as well as best practices for multi-organ procurement. Information presented in the book will familiarize readers with the initial steps of determining organ availability which ultimately enables health care professionals to realize the extraordinary potential of successful multi-organ transplant procedures. This guide is intended to be a fundamental resource for students, residents, faculty and staff for all disciplines allied to health care delivery and organ donation.

Donated organs and tissues have improved or saved the lives of hundreds of thousands of individuals. But these life-changing procedures raise many logistical and ethical questions. How can organs be effectively allocated to those in need? Should individuals be allowed to purchase organs from living donors? What role does religion and culture play in someone's decision to donate or accept an organ? Will new technologies like bioprinting change the future of organ donation? Part of Greenwood's Health and Medical Issues Today series, Organ Donation is divided into three sections. Part I explores different aspects of the donation and transplantation process, including which tissues and organs can be donated, living versus deceased donation, religious and cultural perceptions, and cutting-edge alternatives to traditional organ transplants. Part II delves deep into a variety of issues and controversies related to the subject, offering thorough and balanced coverage of such hot-button topics as opt-in versus opt-out systems, organ trafficking, and transplant tourism. Part III provides a variety of useful materials, including case studies, a glossary, and a directory of resources.

"Organs for Sale is a study of the bioethical question of how to increase human organ supply. But it is also an inquiry into public moral deliberation and the relationship between economic worth and the value systems of a society. Looking closely at human organ procurement debates, the author offers a critique of neoliberalism in bioethics and asks what kind of society we truly want. While society is directly concerned with the practical question of organ procurement, a better understanding of the rhetoric of advocates and philosophical underpinnings of the debate might indeed improve our public moral deliberation in general and organ policy more specifically. Examining public arguments, this book uses a range of source material, from medical journals to Congressional hearings to New York Times op-eds, to provide the most up-to-date and thorough analysis of the topic. Organs for Sale posits that deciding together on the limits of markets, and on what is and ought to be for sale, sheds light on the moral fiber of our society and what it needs to thrive."-- Provided by publisher.