The replacement of an organ that cannot function due to various reasons is called Organ Transplantation.
Today, Organ Transplantation is divided into two, depending on the organ to be transplanted.
– Organ Transplants from Live Donors
– Organ Transplants from cadaver (corpse)
Organ Transplants from Live Donors
In our country, there are certain conditions for legally performing organ transplantation from live donors. First of all, the donor should be a relative to the patient up to 4th-degree, or a decision of approval should be obtained from the Ethical Committee that investigates whether there is a relationship based on pecuniary advantage.
After these, medical research and examinations are started, and in this process;
- Medical checkup and many tests and examinations are performed to ascertain whether the organ donation poses any future risk to the organ donor.
- At the same time, tissues and blood values of the donor and recipient are compared in terms of blood, tissue and organ compatibility, and the possible risk of organ rejection is investigated.
Organ Transplants From Cadaver (Corpse)
There are certain procedures and rules followed for also transplantations from brain-dead (i.e. dead body) donors, called 'transplantation from cadaver donors'.
First of all, specialist physicians should diagnose Brain Death of the brain-dead person in the intensive care unit.
After the diagnosis, approval of a first degree or at least 2nd degree relative should be obtained for organ donation.
In order to ensure that the organs of the donor are kept alive for longer periods under suitable conditions, tissue and blood samples taken during the removal of the organs, and then they are compared with the tissues of the patients recorded in the National Tissue System to verify tissue compatibility. Afterwards, the priority order for transplantation is determined. At that moment, a list of recipient candidates is determined in such a way as to include principal and substitute candidates able to reach the hospital where the brain-dead patient is kept. And the candidates are instructed to immediately reach the hospital, where the transplantation will be performed.
After this stage, final tests and controls are carried out and then the recipient of the organs is determined by a committee. The transplantation is started without losing time.
Cross-Transplantation
Unfortunately, tissue and blood incompatibility is one of the biggest obstacles in our country, for people who want to donate their organs to their beloved ones (spouses, relatives, etc.) to save their life and enable them to live a higher quality life.
A procedure intended for solving this problem has been performed by a team including me.
For the First Time in Turkey: Cross Transplantation
What is cross-transplantation?
If your tissues and blood are not compatible with that of your relative, to whom you want to give your organ, you are matched with another organ donor-recipient couple, who are in the same situation that does not allow for transplantation.
While you cannot give your organs to your loved one for curing him/her, the donor of another person gives life to your loved one. Similarly, while the person in the other donor-recipient couple, who is waiting for organ, cannot get organ from his/her own relative, the organ taken from your donor is transplanted into that person; and consequently his/her life is saved.
Cross-transplantation is performed in two or more families consisting of people who cannot give their organs to other members of their families, i.e. families not suitable for organ transplantation. In such families, organs taken from highly compatible donors are transplanted into recipients in the other family or families, who then become able to live long, healthy lives.
Advantages of Organ Transplantation
– The person lives longer and a higher quality life.
Every year, 2500 to 3000 people die due to lack of organ transplantation.
– People who have undergone an organ transplantation operation can consume what they want.
– Since they do not stay in the hospital and/or do not receive dialysis treatment, they have a nice social life and can work regularly.
– Their other organs do not get damaged due to organ failure, and they become immunized against comorbidities.
– Patients with organ failure grow and develop less than healthy people because their body does not function properly; however, their bodies resume their normal development after an organ transplantation.