Background: Organ donation makes it possible to organ transplantation such as heart transplantation, lung transplantation, and liver transplantation for life support, but the number of brain organ donors is significantly lower than the number of waiting patients.
Since the consent of family members is a prerequisite for donating organs, we would like to find ways to revitalize organ donation by confirming the characteristics of the group that agreed to donation and the reasons why they agreed to organ donation.
Method: From 2013 to 2016, 6,994 of referral of potential brain dead patients were retrospectively reviewed based on the OPC interview, containing data of 1934 persons who were donated after the family donation agreement was made.
Result: From 2013 to 2016, a total of 6,994 of potential brain dead patients were reported.
Among them who 3839 patients were eligible for organ donation and which only 50% (1934) of eligible potential donors were donated after the family consent. Analysis of characteristics of consent group, 68% (1320 persons) were male, and the ages of 40 ~ 59 (54%) was the highest in number among the various age group. The most common cause of brain death was CVA/Stroke.
As family relationships that has consented to donate, 40% (778) was spouse, 32% (614) was direct ancestor, 18% (348) was direct descent and 10% (92) was siblings.
1,879 cases were revealed the reason for agreeing to organ donation by the family.
The most common reason for organ donation was "it can help anybody"; 37.5%( 143) in 2013, 32.1% (144) in 2014, 38.6% (193) in 2015, and 38.9% (214) in 2016.
The responses of "I feel that the patient will want to donate because someone can help" were14.7% (56) in 2013 and 23.2% (104) in 2014, 18.8% (94) in 2015, and 13.3% (73) in 2016, respectively.
The reason for organ donation of “the patient want to donate when one was alive” were 13.9% (53) in 2013, 13.4% (60) in 2014, 14% (70) in 2015 and 13.1% (72) in 2016.
According to KONOS (Korean Network for Organ Sharing), the number registration for donation is low, ranging from 4.7% to 5.2% of annual donors. Another reason is that “organ donation would be helpful in enduring the bereavement process”, “The experience of previous donation or organ transplant patients or dialysis patients”, and “Because of no possibility of resuscitation”.
Suggestion: The most strong reason why the family decided to donate organs is the altruistism. Therefore, it is necessary to spread the noble meaning of organ donation throughout the society. To activate the campaign for donation registration is needed, as the registration rate of donation is lower than that of knowing the hope of donation in life.