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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1987-04-29, Page 14rgan Organ and tissue transplantation is a recognized form of treatrrient for improv- ed quality of life and even survival for thousands of Canadians but there is a shor- tage of. donor organs. Ten people can benefit from one person's decision to be an organ donor and if only 50 per cent of potential donors gave organs, there would be enough foreveryone who needed a transplant. •Last year, the number of Canadians who have signed an organ donor card was 26 per cent l Gallup Poll, March 1987 i. This year, the Cana- dian Medical Association hopes to reach the needed level of 40 to 50 per cent by making the,public more aware of organ donation during "Organ. Donor Awareness Week" from April 26 to May 2. Numerous tissues and organs — such as kidneys, corneas, heart, lung, liver, bone, skin and pancreas — can be transplanted. . KIDNEY TRANSPLANT Kidney transplantations are, performed on patients whose kidney function has fail- ed and who require 'dialysis, from 12 to 40 hours. per week, to remove poisons from their blood. Kidney transplantation is the preferred way of treating most patients under 50 years of age. Last year, more than 850 kidney transplantations were performed in Canada, However, over- 1000 Canadians were waiting for kidney transplants in 1986. Kidney transplants are performed in 24 centres in Canada. • Kidney transplantation is the preferred way of treating most patients under 50 years of age with end-stage kidney disease. Inmost cases, donated.kidneys come from unrelated dead donors ( cadaveric donors) although some kidneys . are donated by a living relative of the reci- pient since a person can live a normal life . with ane kidney. Kidney recipients remain in the hospitalfor only, three to six weeks, . after the operation with the hope of return- ing to a normal and productive life. Pa- tients whose transplanted kidney does • not work may resume dialysis or in some eases 'may receive another transplant. HEARTTRANSPLANT Heart transplants are performed on pa- tient's with terminal heart disease who will . not benefit from conventional medical or surgical ,treatment and whose life expec- tancy is less than one year. It is no longer, a'ri'experimental procedure but is an effec- tive therapeutic procedure' for selected patients. ' In 1986, more than 120 heart transplanta- tions were performed in Canada. The • main' limitation to an increase in the number of heart transplants is the inade- quate supply of suitable,,, opor hearts ( body size and build are important factors in matching heart 'donors and recipients). . Heart transplant patients remain in hospital a total of 25 to 50 days after the operation: Approximately 50 per cent of • heart recipients will be active and well five years after the'operation, which is a good percentage for operations for: Malignant disease. In Canada, heart transplants are per- forrned in London, Toronto,.Montreal, Ot- tawa,and Edmonton. LIVER TRANSPLANTS - Liver' • transplants .,are performed on .children and adults suffering from certain' •fo.rms of terminal liver disease. Patieiiits now being accepted. into the transplant: program are likely to have a low quality of life and to die without,a transplant. In 1986, more than 60 liver transplanta- tions were performed in adults and children in Canada while another 15 adults and 30 children were left• on the waiting list. The average hospital stay average a Easy rider ,50. 00 OFF IN APRIL (Factory Rebate) *Model 802 *You too can afford t� ride me *'Easy priced' One Tbugh Rider SEAFORTH 527-0120 y EAREvI Etitl1PMENt LtNtiTLb s eatailatelia Nataeiiiiikweeeterasi FEATURE REPORT. liver transplant is 52 days. The actuarial survival rate for adult and child liver reci- pients is approximately 70 per cent five years after the transplantation. Finding an, organ the right size and blood type is a problem in liver transplantation. In Canada, adult liver transplantations are performed in London , Montreal, Toronto and Halifax while children's transplants are performed in London, Montreal and Toronto. LUNG TRANSPLANT • Patients with end-stage pulminary disease are considered for single lung transplantations. This type !of transplant is still at an early stage of development. A major obstacle to lung transplantation is -the -need to closely match prior and reci- pient body size. Since the lung can only' be preserved for a short time, the donor's body is usually. transported while on an organ support system to the transplanta- tion centre. • • The Toronto General Hospital is the only Canadian centre performing single lung transplants. In 1986', three such transprants were done at the hospital as was one double lung transplant. THE DONATION PROCESS The organ donation process is a team ef- fort requiring the particip tion, commit- ment and support of physic ans,,surgeons, nurses, transplantation -organ donation co- ordinators, clergy, . social! workers and hospital administrators. •Many of the steps in the donation process may' overlap or be carried out simultaneously. The order may vary also with the special circumstancesof a donation. The first, step is the identification of potential donors. This is done by medical 'staff who assess a patient far suitability as a donor according to donor criteria... The second step is that of declaration of brain death.. Generally, two • physicians determine brain death in the patient accor- ding. to accpetable medical criteria. The possibility of organ donation is considered only when all efforts to.save life have been exhausted and it' is clear that death is•. imminent. • . The third step is approaching the.family. A. trusting relationship between physi- cians and' nurses and family , facilitates consultation with the family about dona- tion. If the deceased has indicated a wish to donate; the family is asked to endorse that wish. In the absence of a signed con- sent, the family is asked to consent to the donation. The fourth step is that of donor support. 'Procedures such as maintaining the donor's respiration, 'circulation and body temperature and carrying out blaod and urine tests are performed to keep the 'organs healthy for transplantation. ek on the basis of medical critera, urgency of need, preservation time of the organ and distance to the recipient transplantation centre. Careful storage is maintained for transportation to the transplant centre. HOWTOBEADONOR Anyone can be an organ donor. Age is never an absolute barrier to some form of organ donation although donors of vital organs are usually between the ages of six months and 60 years of age. The first step in becoming a donor is to sign a• donor consent card. All provinces except Quebec, provide a consent form attached to or distributed with driver's licences. This should be sign- ed and carried at all times. In Quebec a 'consent form is on the overleaf of the health insurance card. In most'provinces, a donor may indicated on his driver's licence or donor card his wish to donate all organs•and tissues or only specific organs and tissues. Simply destroy the donor card should you change your mind about organ donation. Organ donor consent forms can be ob- tained form the Kidney Foundation of Canada, the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, Transplant International, the Department of National Health' and Welfare, provincial coroner's offices, eye banks and organ -donation transplant programs. Anyone can sign a donor card regardless of age or medical history. Persons under the age of majority must have either a parent or a legal guardian as one of the witnesses on the card. Parents of .a young child who does not carry a wallet may.wish to amend, sign and Carry a donor card to indicate their wish to donate the child's organs. • A simple stateinent on plain paper in- dicating one's wishes to be an organ donor, signed by that person and his or her next- pf-kin, and kept in a wallet or purse is all . that is needed 'if a donor card is not available. TELL OTHERS OF DECISION It is important that the donor should let alliis of her family members know his or her intentions regardir-ig organ donation.. It is best thatthe donor talk the decision over with farpily and ensure that 'they agree to respect the donor's wishes. This is important because the donor's wish may not become known to hospital staff unless the family brings it tip. ' Even with a person's consent �n a dopior .card of on the 'licence, doctors and hospitals still consult with the, next-of-kin. Last year, the Canadian Medical Association's annual meeting; the CMA en- couraged hospitals to support a system, of "recorded consideration": • ,This is a process whereby physicians' routinely assess the suitability of dying or brain-dead patients for organ donation. Where a patient meets donor criteria, this • information- is . recorded by. the attending physician who may then approach the family to request such a donation. The result of this process; or the reason(s ), why the process was\not initiated, is also Donor -recipient compatibility is the fifth recorded on the patient's chart. This prac- step in.the process.. Compatibility is'deter- tice will substantially increase the number mined by several, factors including blood of•organs available for transplantation. groups, tissue. typing, ' body size and WHO RECEIVES DONATION weight.. Removal ,of organs -tissues is the :sixth step. Removal is performed -as 'soon as possible so that the donor's body can be • returned quickly to the family. If an organ cannot be removed at the donor hospital, the body is then transferred to a transplan- tation centre. Preservation of organs -tissues for transport if not used locally is the seventh sti. Organs and tissues are distributed TM' You ,ir(' invited to ,'iii evening of INFORMATION D,IS,CUSSION on the stil)j('c.'t of FAMILY VIOLENCE Tuesday, May 12 8:00 p.m. G.D.C.I, Panel Members: Lawyer - ( rutin •\tlnrtte\ Police , tikt. Ni k lumbo!( Delta Men's Group Leader - ‘'milt' ihnm,r'. Come and find out more shout the community's responsibility in preventing family violence rind the legal systems now in place to com- bati1. FREI ADMISSION. Sponsored by the Ontario Women's f)ire(•torate & Survival Through Friendship House. Remember "Balloon Greetings 11 hos that special gift you're looking for. *Helium Balloon Bouquets * Mug and Vase Arrangements * Wicker and Fabric Baskets With many basket fillers to choose from including: Perfumes, Chocolates, Soaps, Wind Chimes, Teddy Bears and more. GIFT BASKETS SHOULD BE ORDERED 2 DAYS BEFORE PICK-UP OR DELIVER'(. CRYSTAL ELLIOTT RJR. 1 LUCKtiOW 357='1532 Recipients of the organs and tissues are. chosen of the basis of medical criteria and urgency of need. The donor's family may be given some general information concerning the reci- pient(s), however the names of the donors and recipients are kept confidential in respect for the privacy of the donor, his or her family and the recipient(s). Some donor families and transplant recipients do choose to identify themselves. GODERICH SIGNALSTAH, WEDNESDAY, API -C1... 29„1987 ---PAGE 13 ITIS ARTYTIME® MEN'S FORMAL WEAR °Tuxedos e Bow Ties e Top Hats G E GREEN *Tailcoats Cummerbunds *White Scarves MAY IS RED SIIIF,LD BLITZ MONTH .If you'd Iike,to give to the Red Shield, Watch for our home mailer, or send your donation to the.address below'. Your gift - whether large or small - will bele us -meet the challenges of each new day. - THE NATIONAL RED SHIELD APPEAL Donations can be sent to: P.O. Box 397, Goderich, Ontario. N7A 4C6 OR CALL 524-93410,524-'4335 for more information. The more complex your needs become, the more you'll appreciate the simplicity of bow ` . � ;£row mss. First you need a car. •Then ri home. Then a second car. How about home improvements? (.)r a larger home? investments? National Trust understands that the rnorc successful you become, the more complex your ne.t(ls become. So we've made borrowing as simple as: ' One: Cmc in or call us. You'll find our rates competitive and our stalf,friendly and courteous. Two: Wc'll C(implctc an application. ' Three: Leave the rest to us. We'll get you your loan or mortgage quickly and taililrc(l to your nerds Limited Time Offer We've also made borrowing Inim Offers on our loans and.TnortgagrS . if you're lookingfor a simple way nearest NationaTnist branch in t hranc.hc•s are open R a to R p.m with convenient hours on Saturtla NIATIC3NAL TRUST A National Victoria and (,rcy Trost( o ('nntrany The simple way to barrow is to talk to us first. GODERICH - 100 Kingston St. 524-7381