The procurement of kidneys for transplantation in Scandinavia

In countries with active renal transplant programs and wide acceptance criteria for transplant patients, the number of cadaveric donors is not, and probably never will be, sufficient to meet the demand for renal allografts. In general between 15 and 20 cadaveric donors PMP per year (maximum 23.7 in Denmark in 1986) have been available in the Scandinavian countries in the 1980s. In most other countries fewer donors are available, but there are regions where higher figures have been reached. Continuous registrations of potential cadaveric donors in Sweden have shown that the number of donors could increase by 40% to 60% if relatives of all medically suitable patients had given consent to organ donation. Since a public survey has shown that factual information on cadaveric organ donation and transplantation had a positive effect on the public's attitude, more public awareness programs are needed. Donor acceptance criteria are already broadly based, particularly with respect to age, and could probably not be further broadened without risking results after transplantation. A varying proportion of renal allografts from living donors are used in the Scandinavian countries. An increased use of living donors, related and unrelated, in the countries where few currently are used might help meet demand in the future. At present the need for nonrenal organs can be met, but as the programs for liver and heart transplantations are developed to reach their predicted levels, the current number of donors will most likely prove insufficient.