OPTN/SRTR 2015 Annual Data Report: Deceased Organ Donation

Area of Science:

• Transplantation Science
• Organ Donation Metrics
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• The Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) analyzes data from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN).
• Metrics include donation/conversion rates, organ yield, and discarded organs.
• In 2015, over 1 million death referrals were made to OPOs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze organ donation and utilization data from 2015.
• To identify trends in deceased organ donation and organ discard rates.
• To highlight the need for improved organ utilization.

Main Methods:

• Utilized 2015 data from the OPTN, managed by SRTR.
• Examined referral, eligibility, donor, recovery, and discard data.
• Categorized discarded organs by type (kidneys, pancreata, livers, hearts, lungs).

Main Results:

• In 2015, 9,080 deceased donors were recorded, an increase since 2010.
• 65,086 organs were authorized for recovery, with 25,762 actually recovered.
• 4,370 organs were discarded, including 3,157 kidneys and 703 livers.

Conclusions:

• While deceased organ donation is increasing, a significant number of recovered organs are discarded.
• The high discard rate, particularly for kidneys and livers, indicates a need for improved organ utilization strategies.
• Reducing organ discard is crucial to meet the demand for transplants.