Changes in the clinical features and demographics of donors after brain death, before and after the establishment of a regional trauma center: 20 years of experience at a single center in Korea.

Purpose: Organ transplantation is considered the definitive treatment for end-stage organ disease. However, the scarcity of donor organs compared to the number of patients awaiting transplants is a major barrier. This study aimed to assess the impact of a regional trauma center on organ procurement and to provide a basis for future collaboration between regional trauma centers and transplant centers.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed organ donors after brain death over a 20-year period from January 1, 2003, to December 31, 2022. It compared patients before and after the establishment of the regional trauma center, as well as trauma and nontrauma patients. The study investigated general patient characteristics and the number and types of donated organs.

Results: The average age of patients significantly increased from 37.75 years before the trauma center was established to 46.72 years after (t=-4.32, P<0.001). The organ acquisition rate significantly increased from 3.03 before to 3.47 after (t=-2.96, P=0.003). Suicide (t=6.52, P=0.011) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation cases were more common among nontrauma patients than among trauma patients (t=8.34, P=0.004). However, the organ acquisition rate was significantly higher among trauma patients than among nontrauma patients (3.53 vs. 3.21; t=2.04, P=0.004).

Conclusions: This study identified changes in the characteristics and donor organs of patients diagnosed with brain death after the establishment of a regional trauma center. Given the increase in the proportion of trauma patients and the rate of organ acquisition per capita post-establishment, efforts should be made to encourage organ donation from patients diagnosed with brain death through close collaboration between regional trauma centers and organ transplant centers.