Organ donation and transplantation

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Radio Sintonia:

Spain leader in organ donation and transplantation.

As every year, the first Wednesday of June is celebrated in Spain the National Day of the Donor of Organs and Tissues, organized by the Union of Transplanted of Solid Organs, with the support of the National Organization of Transplants (ONT), and that this year has the motto "I can be the piece that others need".





New logo
In addition, this year, the Union of Solid Organ Transplants (UTxS) presents its new logo, which symbolizes, in different colors, the representative bodies of the four patient entities that form it: the National Federation for the fight against Kidney Diseases (ALCER), the Spanish Federation of Heart Transplants (FETCO), the National Federation of Liver Patients and Transplanted (FNETH ) and the Spanish Federation of Cystic Fibrosis (FEFQ).



A day to honor donors and their families
The objective of this day is to honor donors and relatives throughout the national territory, in addition to sensitizing society about the importance of organ donation for people who are waiting for a transplant and need that piece to complete their puzzle to continue living.

According to data from the ONT, in the first quarter of 2023 there has been a significant increase compared to 2022 in donation and transplant activity, with 505 people who donated their organs after dying in the first 74 days of this year, 23% more than in the same period of 2022. To them are added the 78 people who have donated a kidney or part of their liver in life, a figure that grows by 37% compared to the previous year, placing us in figures similar to those of 2019, when historical maximums were registered.

One of the reasons for this growth is the increase in donation in asystole, which until March 15, 2023 has experienced a growth of 24% compared to the same period of the previous year. This type of donation has gone from being exclusively renal to becoming multiorgan, thanks to the generalization of the preservation procedure based on extracorporeal circulation devices (ECMO).



Spain, a leading country in donation and transplantation
Spain has been at the forefront of the world in organ donation and transplantation for more than 30 consecutive years, with 15 transplants per day, which means a rate in 2022 of 113 per million population (p.m.p.), and an average of 7 donors per day, with a rate of 46.3 deceased donors p.m.p., figures much higher than those reached by the rest of the countries of the world.

The worldwide prestige of our model is due, on the one hand, to the National Donation and Transplant Program of the ONT together with the Autonomous Communities and, on the other, to the solidarity of donors and their families." The gesture of donation is a reflection of the society that we are. Every year, eight out of ten families confirm their loved one's desire to be an organ donor, at a time as difficult as their death. An example of citizen solidarity that, together with the great work of health professionals, today is particularly the object of homage and recognition. From the ONT we also join the motto of the UTxS for this special day: remember that you can be the piece that can give life to another, "says Beatriz Domínguez-Gil, director of the ONT.

An altruistic gesture
"There is no doubt that we can all be the piece that others need to save or improve their quality of life, our solidarity can mean a before and after in the lives of other people. Organ donation should be a topic that we have usually talked about with family and loved ones, so that when the time comes, no one doubts the fundamental piece we can become, with one of the greatest altruistic gestures, such as living donation and / or when we no longer need them, "explains Paula Suárez, president of ALCER Las Palmas.

For his part, Juan Da Silva, president of the FEFQ, points out that "the generosity of donors and their families is what allows many people to continue living each year, in addition to considerably improving their quality of life. Today we want to thank all of them for this great gesture of solidarity and empathy, offering to be the piece that other people need. We encourage the whole society to follow their example so that the day comes when no one is left on the waiting list without receiving the organ they need."

A day to recognize and thank
"We should be proud of the donation and transplant figures that are reached annually, as well as being an extremely supportive country. However, we can still do much more, and that is to ensure that they are only heard if it is at the moment when the life of a relative of ours ends and he can donate his organs. A donation is the most supportive and altruistic act we can offer to others, it is to give away the piece that other people need to live, and as a society we have to be aware of its importance, "says María Dolores Martínez, president of FETCO.



Eva Pérez Bech, president of FNETH, reiterates this message of gratitude: "This day invites us to reflect on the generosity and altruistic act of donating our organs after death and can change the lives of other people. We can all make a difference and leave a lasting legacy by donating our organs and tissues. Today is a time to recognize and thank donors and their families for their valuable contribution by bringing hope and new opportunities to those on the transplant waiting list."

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Radio Sintonia:

Transplants grow by 30% in the Canary Islands compared to 2022.

The Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands reports that during the past year 2023, a total of 227 transplants were registered, which represents an increase of 30.46 percent compared to 2022.

Of the total, 167 were kidney transplants, 29 liver transplants, 21 heart transplants, six lung transplants and four pancreatic transplants. The activity recorded by reference hospitals of the Canary Islands Health Service is estimated at 29 liver at the Nuestra Señora de Candelaria University Hospital, 86 kidney at the Insular-Maternal and Child University Hospital Complex and 81 at the University Hospital of the Canary Islands, 21 heart and six lung at the University Hospital of Gran Canaria Dr. Negrín and four pancreas at the HUC.

Lung Transplant Program

Since the Lung Transplant Programme was launched in the Canary Islands last summer, a total of six transplants have been carried out at the University Hospital of Gran Canaria Dr. Negrín, a reference centre on the islands, as of 31 December 2023.

The implementation of this regional programme has allowed patients from the Canary Islands not to have to travel to the mainland, for an average period of sixteen months between the waiting time for the transplant and the subsequent recovery for the operation.

Thus, the Canary Islands are one of the seven autonomous communities that offer the possibility of performing this technique in their territory, without transfers to reference centers in other regions, since lung transplantation, due to its high complexity, is only performed in eight hospitals in Spain.

As for the profile of transplant recipients, it mostly corresponds to people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and all of them have responded well to the intervention from a general point of view.

Organ and Tissue Donations

As for the balance of organ donations in the Canary Islands, in 2023 they increased by 2.4 percent compared to 2022. In total, 128 donations were registered, of which 59 correspond to brain death, another 59 to asystole and ten from living donors.

With these data, the Archipelago continues with record numbers of organ and tissue donors with a rate of 53.63 donors per million inhabitants (p.m.p.), a figure that is above the national average, which is 48.9 donors p.m.p.

The data shows that asystole donations in the Canary Islands increased by 47 percent compared to 2022 and living donor donations increased by 66 percent.

It should be noted that donations from patients in asystole in the Canary Islands account for 50 percent of donations from deceased patients, above the national average, which stands at 45 percent.

Controlled asystole donation allows the donation of organs from people in whom the diagnosis of death has been established by circulatory and respiratory criteria.

More than 100 professionals

The Ministry of Health highlights that the performance of a transplant has the differentiating particularity with other health processes of starting after the solidarity and altruistic act of donation, so we must thank the donors and relatives for this decision, usually taken at a time of extreme difficulty.

The gratitude is also extended to the work and dedication of the more than 100 professionals from the hospitals who make it possible to perform each of the transplants. Led by hospital coordinators, these professionals are in contact with the donor's relatives and constitute the key and differentiating piece of the so-called "Spanish model" that is an international reference.

To carry out each transplant, the participation of a multitude of health and non-health groups is required, which makes possible all the logistics and actions essential for the performance of this process, usually of an urgent nature. These include law enforcement agencies, Civil Protection, emergency service personnel, airlines, airports, courts and other people who, altruistically, make it possible for a transplant to be carried out. Special mention for their involvement and collaboration in transmitting the benefits and message of the donation also deserve the patient associations and the media of the Canary Islands.

How to become a donor

To become a donor, it is important that the person who wishes to donate their organs communicates it to their family and friends so that their wishes are respected when the time comes. It should be noted that the donor card expresses the willingness to donate but has no legal value. Therefore, it is more relevant and easier for the donor to communicate that wish to the family. Usually, it is the family who transmits the will of the deceased person, always acting on their behalf, in response to the request for donation by the medical teams. In any case, the card can be obtained through the National Transplant Organization (ONT) and patient associations.

Advance Manifestation of Will

Currently, in order to facilitate and ensure respect for the will to donate, the person who wishes to be a donor can make an Advance Manifestation of Will (AVM). This is a document that contains the instructions and options that must be respected by the health personnel who attend to the grantor regarding the care and treatment of their health, which does have legal validity; provisions regarding the fate of your body and the donation of organs and tissues.

AVMs can be carried out before the officials of the Ministry of Health or before any notary belonging to the Notarial Association of the Canary Islands, once the relevant authorization is obtained, according to the agreement established between the Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands and the Notarial Association of the Canary Islands.

For more information on the AVM procedure, please visit the website www.gobiernodecanarias.org/ sanidad/sgt/mav/

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Radio Sintonia:

The General Hospital of Fuerteventura has been authorised to obtain tissues for corneal transplantation.

The General Hospital of Fuerteventura, a centre attached to the Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands, has been authorised by the Regional Transplant Coordination of the Canary Islands Health Service (SCS) to obtain tissues for corneal transplantation, thus increasing the centre's portfolio of services.

This authorisation for the procurement of corneas is in addition to others for which the General Hospital of Fuerteventura is already accredited.

Twenty-five organs removed

From the Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands, it is reported that the General Hospital of Fuerteventura was accredited as an organ extraction center for donation in 2019, which allowed citizens to donate the organs of their loved ones to other patients who need it to save their lives or improve their quality of life.

Since that date, a total of twenty-five organs have been obtained from nine donors who died of brain death. These twenty-five organs would correspond to eighteen kidneys, four livers, two hearts, and a pancreas. Of the nine donors, three were foreigners, representing 33.33 percent of the total.

The services involved in this process are, among others, Emergencies, Intensive Care Medicine, Anaesthesia, Clinical Analysis, Microbiology, Cardiology, Pneumology, Nephrology, Urology and General Surgery. Likewise, workers from different fields are involved in this process, from information personnel to doctors, so that all hospital personnel, both health and non-health, make up this chain in which all the links are equally important and are immersed in the process.

In addition, the clinical services of the reference hospitals where each organ will be transplanted actively collaborate in this process, so collaboration with the rest of the hospital transplant coordinators is essential to guarantee the success of these interventions.

How to become a donor

Currently, in order to facilitate organ donation, the person who wishes to be a donor can make an Advance Declaration of Will (AVM), a document that contains the instructions and options that must be respected by the health personnel who attend to the donor regarding the care and treatment of their health; The provisions regarding the fate of your body and the donation of organs and tissues and for which you can make an appointment at 012 or consult the website: https://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/ health/sgt/mav/

There is the possibility of donating while alive if the conditions and requirements established by the Law are met. The donor must be of legal age and in good physical and mental health.

Organs that can be donated include the kidneys, liver, heart, pancreas, and lungs. In addition, tissues can also be obtained from a donation, which is also very necessary: bones, tendons and corneas.

For the director of the Fuerteventura Health Area, Tomás Pérez, this authorization is a further step in the improvement of the portfolio of services offered to citizens, as well as an opportunity for the resident population on the island to donate the tissues of their deceased relatives and, in this way, give an opportunity to other patients who need them.

For his part, the manager of the Fuerteventura Health Services, Javier Suleimán, thanks the professionals involved in this process for their dedication and commitment to organ donation, an area in which the Canary Islands are at the head of the country every year. In addition, it is grateful for the invaluable collaboration in this valuable extractive activity of the reference center of the General Hospital of Fuerteventura, the Insular-Maternal and Child University Hospital Complex.

[classic]

Hi Tamara, for those of us who a not allowed to donate blood due to being in the UK for mad cow disease, can we donate organs? I haven't been able to get a definite answer from anyone.

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

I have the same query!

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Radio Sintonia:

Hospitals in the Canary Islands perform 227 organ transplants in 2023.

The Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands, on the occasion of today's commemoration of National Transplant Day, recalls the importance of organ and tissue donation to save or improve the quality of life of people who need a transplant. During 2023, the professionals of the reference hospitals of the Canary Islands Health Service (SCS) carried out 227 organ transplants, of which 167 were kidney, 4 pancreas, 21 heart, 29 liver and 6 lung, thanks to the generosity of 118 deceased donors and 10 living donors.

By hospitals, a total of 81 kidney transplants and 4 pancreatic transplants were registered at the University Hospital of the Canary Islands; 29 liver patients at the Nuestra Señora de Candelaria University Hospital and 86 kidney patients at the Canary Islands Insular-Maternal and Child University Hospital Complex. At the Doctor Negrín University Hospital, 21 heart transplants were performed during 2023, in addition to 6 lung transplants since the program began in July.

During the past year, donations were registered by 128 people. Of this total number of donations, 59 correspond to people who died of brain death, 59 were made in asystole and 10 were from living donors.

These data represent a new record for organ and tissue donors in the Canary Islands with a rate of 53.6 donors per million inhabitants, a figure that is above the national average of 48.9 donors per person.

The SCS would like to thank the donors and their families for the altruistic, supportive and generous gesture of donation, which gives patients a second chance with no other possibility of being cured of their disease than a transplant.

Lung transplant

In the continuous search for excellence and with the aim of offering the best transplant possibilities, the SCS started the lung transplant program at the Doctor Negrín University Hospital of Gran Canaria in July 2023. From July to December 31, a total of 6 transplants were performed.

In this way, all the organs are already transplanted on the islands, avoiding the transfer of patients to the mainland while they waited for the arrival of an organ suitable for them, with all that it meant for these patients, given that the time spent on the mainland used to be more than a year.

Call for solidarity

Despite the satisfaction of these results, the SCS continues to encourage citizens to maintain these donation rates, one of the highest in the world. The gesture of deciding to donate organs can save the life of a person who at that time has no other therapeutic option than to perform a transplant, so the commemoration of National Transplant Day is a good occasion to reiterate the call to patients and families to decide to donate organs and tissues.

How to become a donor

The donor card expresses the willingness to donate but has no legal value. Therefore, in addition to requesting this card, it is very important that the donor communicates his wish to the family so that it is respected. This means that at the time of death, if you could be an organ donor, the family will have to sign the consent to proceed with the extraction.

The card can be obtained through the National Transplant Organization (ONT) and patient associations. It is essential to inform family and friends of this decision.

Currently, in order to facilitate organ donation, the person who wishes to be a donor can make an Advance Declaration of Will (AVM), a document that contains the instructions and options that must be respected by the health personnel who attend to the grantor regarding the care and treatment of their health; provisions regarding the fate of your body and the donation of organs and tissues.

AVMs can be carried out before the officials of the Ministry of Health or before any notary belonging to the Notarial Association of the Canary Islands, once the relevant authorization is obtained, according to the agreement established between the Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands and the Notarial Association of the Canary Islands.

[classic]

Thanks Tamara. If anyone finds out if those of us barred from giving blood due to being in the UK during the mad cow disease outbreak, can be an organ donor... please let us know. Many thanks