Organ donors gave more than 2 million years of life to sick patients
Organ donors gave more than 2 million years of life to sick patients
Hearts, kidneys and other donated organs have added more than 2 million years to the lives of the American patients who received them, according to a new analysis.
That tally , published this week by the journal JAMA Surgery, covers 25 years of organ donation in the U.S. Researchers started with 1987, the year when the United Network for Organ Sharing began keeping track of all organ transplants in the U.S.
Between Sept. 1, 1987, and Dec. 31, 2012, 533,329 patients received a donated organ (or perhaps two). Another 579,506 patients were put on the UNOS waiting list but didnt get an organ. By comparing the outcomes for patients in both groups, the researchers were able to calculate how much longer the transplant recipients lived as a result of their new organs.
So far, that number adds up to 2,270,859 years a stellar accomplishment, according to the study authors. And that number will keep on getting bigger as long as any of the transplant recipients are still alive.
More than half of those extra years 1,372,969 of them have been lived by people who had kidney transplants, the researchers calculated. Another 465,296 extra years have been lived by recipients of new livers, and 269,715 years have been lived by people who got new hearts. The other beneficiaries included people who received new lungs (64,575 extra years), a new pancreas (14,903 extra years), a pancreas and a kidney (79,198 extra years) and intestines (4,402 extra years).
The analysis does not include patients who had rare kinds of transplants, such as heart-pancreas transplants and liver-lung transplants, because there were too few of these procedures to be able to make good comparisons with patients who needed such transplants but didnt get them.
The researchers also calculated the number of years gained per patient, based on the type of transplant they received. By this measure, heart transplants were the most successful, giving patients an extra 4.9 years, on average. Patients who had a combined pancreas-kidney transplant (to treat kidney failure due to type 1 diabetes) lived an average of 4.6 years longer than their counterparts who went on the wait list but didnt get new organs. Kidney recipients averaged 4.4 extra years, liver recipients averaged 4.3 extra years, intestine recipients averaged 2.8 extra years and pancreas recipients averaged 2.6 extra years, according to the study.
These results may cause some people to rethink the benefits of organ transplants, the researchers wrote. For instance, a kidney transplant is often viewed as merely a life-enhancing surgery, since someone who doesnt get a new kidney can make do on dialysis. But with a typical kidney transplant patient benefiting more than a typical liver transplant patient, the operation should be considered a lifesaving procedure, they wrote.
The same argument can be made for transplants involving a pancreas, which are sometimes viewed as simply a convenient insulin replacement therapy, they added.
All of this good news was tempered by one statistic, however: only 48% of patients sick enough to be put on the UNOS waiting list are able to get new organs, according to the study. That means more people need to be willing to donate their organs .
The critical shortage of donors continues to hamper this field, the researchers wrote. If more donors come forward and more transplants are performed, Americans can make good on the tremendous potential to do even more good for humankind in the future.
http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-organ-transplant-years-saved-20150129-story.html
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If possible, be an organ donor !!
I recall...
Through the back door shecame, first driver's license in hand. Thrilled to have passed and proudly displayed her donor notationtoher Daddy and I. We were proud, such a grown-up decision!
Little did we know in three shortyears we'dbe talking to the donor representatives in the trauma center.Tough time to be certain,we honored her wishes and took comfort when theletter arrived describing the recipients who would now have another shot at life.
Her words resound in my mind when I asked "why did you decided to be a donor", she replied "ifI die what am I going to do with organs, let someone else have a chance at life".
Proud of her in life and death...that's my girl!
Oh Lynne... I'm so very sorry for your loss. Your reply brought tears to my eyes. How PROUD you must me of your wonderful daughter!! It proves that you were good parents to instill kindness and thoughtfulness into your daughter's heart. Be a PROUD parent!!! ((( Lynne)))
Thanks Nona your kindness is always evident. I posted because this is a conversation ALL families need to have. We never know if we'll be the ones to offer the gift or the one who needsa gift.
I am a donor. I feel the same way, if any or all of my organs can save someone'slife, why not ??
No one really talks about the process of organ donation. Being emotionally distraught and then mentally wrapping your mind around the "process" was almost more than I could bare, but knowing we were fulfilling her wishes helped.
Being emotionally distraught and then mentally wrapping your mind around the "process" was almost more than I could bare, but knowing we were fulfilling her wishes helped.
I'm glad it helped somewhat. At that time in your life, I imagine there was very little that you could wrap your head around. I can't begin to imagine.....
Lynne, a brave young man gave a kidney to my 15 year old grandson. That boy who died gave two kidneys and a liver and gave three people a better life.
Receiving an organ from a donor comes with it's own problems and nightmares, but it's life and there is happiness, sadness, joy, love, tears and all the things that life brings. The kidney failed after 5 years and he now awaits another transplant.
Lynne, thank you and thank your courageous daughter. She created more happiness than you will ever know.
Nigel,heartfully sorry to hear your grandson is back on a waiting list.Families who walk this journey face the fragility of life daily. Hoping and praying dialysis is carrying him through and he's able to have good days.
Every day is a gift, here's to living life large!
Nigel can not even imagine the mental stress. My thoughts are with you. Enjoy ever day.
Lynn I'm so proud of you and your Husband for raising such a wonderful daughter. If more young people loved humanity as your daughter did what a great world this would be.
What a courageous young lady Lynne. She gave a special gift, and she was a special gift.
Grump, as always my thoughts are with your grandson.
There is nothing more precious than the "Gift Of Life."