First time: organs to be transplanted from donors whose hearts stopped beating

In the coming months a pilot program in Israel for transplants is expected to begin, in which one will be able to receive organs from donors who die of cardiac arrest, namely those whose hearts have stopped beating. Nowadays it is possible to transplant organs taken only after a person's brain is dead, a condition in which the brain activity ceases but the heart continues to beat. This was reported by 'Israel Today' paper.

In the initial phase it will be possible to take organs for transplant only from deceased who have signed an organ donor card, 'Eddie', in large hospitals where organ transplants are carried out as well. Organ donation consent rates are the same in recent years and stand at about 50 percent. However, last year there were fewer cases of brain death, and consequently fewer transplants.

A Ministry of Health factor told the newspaper: "In the case of cardiac death one can introduce canolas (tubes) through which will flow a freezing fluid which helps preserve the organs, and in time range of up to two hours to try to get the consent of relatives for the move. If there is consent, surgery will be performed to save the organ."

Transplant from a donor without a beating heart is acceptable in some countries, including the U.S., Spain, France, the Netherlands and the UK. Usually in these cases kidneys, liver and lung are taken for transplantation. Israel's intention is to use at this stage kidneys only. A senior doctor involved in the details of the program said: " actually from the religious sector there has been a good response. "

Dr. Hadar Merhav, director of Hadassah Hospital Transplant Unit, explains: "There is a great advantage in the use of an organ taken from a brain dead donor, because organ receives blood flow until the last minute. Without blood flow a gangrene can be caused and some irreversible damage. Despite everything, the question of whether a patient will be connected to dialysis or will receive a kidney which will last only five or ten years - the answer is clear."

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!