Organ and tissue donation for transplantation from fatal trauma victims

The aim of this study was to analyze multiple aspects of organ donation after mortality owing to trauma-related causes.

We completed a cross-sectional, retrospective, descriptive study that used data were extracted from monthly death reports and clinical records of fatal external injury victims 2-70 years of age who were assisted at 1 of 4 hospitals in the municipality of Maringá and the surrounding metropolitan area in Paraná state, Brazil, in 2012.

A total of 871 individuals within the age range for donation died, 15.4% owing to external causes of injury. Of these 134 cases, 80.6% were male and 52.23% were 18-40 years old. A total of 57% of deaths were owing to traffic accidents, 58% of which involved motorcycles. Aggression was a factor in 25% of deaths, with 55% owing to firearm wounds. Approximately 52% of families consented to organ donation when asked. A total of 58% of families who refused consent did not indicate a specific reason. At 62%, the majority of refusals involved brain-dead patients. Approximately 58% of the families did not receive a request for consent. Out of these 78 cases, 83% showed contraindications, 44% had sepsis, 40% hemodilution, and 10% logistical/infrastructural problems.

The highest proportion of non donor cases was owing to the lack of a formal request for consent from the family. Thus, continued training for health care professionals on the donation-transplantation process and early identification of potential donors and appropriate organ maintenance is necessary.