Analysis of heart donation for cardiac transplantation at the National Taiwan University Hospital: fifteen-year cases review

Transplant Proc. 2004 Oct;36(8):2365-8. doi: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2004.08.083.

Abstract

The demand for organ transplantation is disparate to the supply of organ donors. The organ shortage is a limitation for transplantation. This study analyzed the status of heart donors at the National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH) from July 1987 through November 2001 using registry records. One hundred ninety-four total heart donors yielded about 25 donors per year in the late era (years of 1995-2001). The majority of heart donors were men (78.4%) of O blood type (46.9%) with a mean age of 29.8 (SD = 11.9) years. Though head injury was the main source of heart donors (78.4%), cerebrovascular accident patients have increased (15%) since 1995. However, the number of donors from head injury decreased in the year of 1997, when Taiwan passed a law to force motorcycle drivers to wear safety helmets. The average interval from brain death to donation was 75.4 (SD = 71.2) hours. One hundred fifty-six (80.4%) of the 194 donor hearts came from outside hospitals. However, the majority of heart transplantations (166 cases, 85.6%) were done at the NTUH. Implementing a program for a smooth donation and organ procurement processes should provide better donor management in cardiac transplantation.

MeSH terms

  • ABO Blood-Group System
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Brain Death
  • Cause of Death
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Heart*
  • Hospitals, University
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Taiwan
  • Tissue Donors / statistics & numerical data*

Substances

  • ABO Blood-Group System