Organ donation and management of the potential organ donor

Organ donation provides a treatment for patients with severe organ dysfunction that is both life-saving, and life-enhancing. Most organs in the UK are transplanted after deceased donation; clinical staff working in the intensive care unit must be familiar with the principles of deceased organ donation and be able to support both the donor and their family through this process. The pathophysiological response to neurological injury after Death by Neurological Criteria requires optimization to preserve organ function and allow donation of healthy organs to proceed. Recent advances in in-vivo and ex-vivo perfusion techniques have revolutionized some aspects of organ retrieval practice. Donation after Circulatory Death now accounts for one-third of cardiac transplants, which were recently exclusively obtained from Donation after Brainstem Death. Accordingly, an up-to-date knowledge base of this rapidly evolving field is vital. This article will focus on deceased organ donation, specifically the processes of Donation after Brainstem Death and Donation after Circulatory Death, and the physiological support of the potential organ donor in the intensive care unit.