Abstract
The revised organ transplantation law went: into effect from July, 2010 in Japan. We discuss problems with the organ procurement system from the view point of donor hospitals, especially for children. Doctors working in donor hospitals have to differentiate their brain death diagnosis between children and adults to exclude child abuse, hypotension, and/or hypothermia. The heavy burden for donor hospitals and organ procurement from a child donor are discussed. Organ donation takes much time and requires many specialists. For example, it takes more than 45 hours from the diagnosis of clinical brain death to the end of organ harvesting. To reduce the heavy burden for donor hospitals, a support system needs to be established for the donor hospital and the donor family. The organ procurement procedure is strictly regulated by the law and legal guidelines; we propose that the new framework is redesigned rapidly within the new law and the guidelines.
