Organ donation in the United States: 1988 through 1991

1. During 1988 through 1991, the total number of cadaveric donors increased by 11% and the number of living donors increased by 25%. 2. During 1991, at least 1 kidney per donor was recovered from 94% of cadaveric donors. Livers were recovered from 70% of cadaveric donors; hearts from 47%, pancreases from 24%, lungs from 8%, and heart-lung combinations from 1%. The percentage of cadaveric donors from whom multiple organs were recovered increased by 23% between 1988 and 1991. 3. During 1988 through 1991, the largest group of cadaveric donors was White, male, age 19-35, with blood group O. During 1991, the primary cause of cadaveric-donor death was cerebrovascular. The largest group of living donors was also White and age 19-35; however, most donors were female. 4. Between 1988 and 1991, the percentage of cadaveric donors age 50-64 increased by 36% (from 11% in 1988 to 15% in 1991) and the percentage of cadaveric donors 65 years old or older increased by 200% (from 1% to 3%). 5. The percentage of White cadaveric donors declined by 4% between 1988 and 1991, while the percentage of Black donors increased by 16%. The percentage of Hispanic donors increased by 25% and that of Asian donors increased by 29%. 6. Throughout 1988 to 1991, the percentage of cadaveric hearts transplanted locally increased by 18% (from 55% to 65%). Interregional cadaveric kidney sharing also increased by 70% (from almost 10% to 17%). Local cadaveric liver transplantation increased by 80% (from 25% to 45%), resulting in a smaller percentage of livers shared interregionally. Local transplantation of cadaveric lungs increased by 173% (from 15% to 41%), reducing the lung discard/research rate by 69%, from 42% to 13%.