2025 年 60 巻 1 号 p. 1-7
【Objective】 In Japan, 800 cases per year of organ donation after brain death (BD) are expected, but only 100 cases per year have materialized. Thus, we have identified patients both willing and able to donate and have assessed their need for confirming the intention for potential donors (PDs).
【Design】 Single-center retrospective observation study.
【Methods】 Patients who have visited emergency rooms were surveyed to determine how many: had indicated their intention to donate on their identification cards; were PDs; had confirmed patient and family intentions; and who wished to donate. We investigated patients able to donate among those who died after hospital admission.
【Results】 Of the 2,749 patients confirmed via their identification cards, 30 (1.1%) wished to donate after BD and 3 (0.1%) after cardiac death (CD). 71 (2.8%) of the 2,527 emergency transfers were PDs. Of these, 34 (47.9%) were interviewed about their intentions and 8 of 34 (23.5%) confirmed their wish to donate. Of a total of 261 deceased patients, 14 (5.4%) were considered able to donate after BD, 20 (7.7%) after CD, and 153 (58.6%) to donate only their eyes.
【Conclusion】 An organ donation system and education are needed to identify PDs and actively confirm their intentions to the medical staff when explaining their terminal medical conditions.
