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Ware Theodore M (td03@jove.acs.unt.edu) wrote on misc.emerg-services:
: 4.  Asking the husband for organs - 
:     When asking the husband for the organs, the doctor said that the
:     wife had "... D.I.C., a clotting problem (sic), ... caused by 
:     shock ..."  

:     In my experience, patients who had been in shock and/or
:     pulseless could not have their organs donated because of the 
:     decreased perfusion to the organs.  Most organ donations come
:     from head injured and/or brain dead patients.

:     (I may be wrong on this and would appreciate correction.)

I did not see the show (at least, not the part about donation...my VCR 
screwed up).

I can tell you, though, that DIC is not a rule for organ donation.  Nor 
is a period of cardiac arrest FROM WHICH THE PATIENT HAS BEEN 
RESUSCITATED.  

ALL organ donors are brain dead.  Brain death is a legal definition of 
death in all 50 states and DC.  I'm not sure of the exact statistics 
nationwide, but in 1993 in the DC area (where I work as an organ recovery 
coordinator):

		40% of organ donors had suffered a cerebrovascular accident
		26% of organ donors had been involved in an MVA
		22% of organ donors had been shot or stabbed (by themselves 
		    or others)
		 4% of organ donors suffered from head traumas such as 
		    falls, bike accidents, etc.
		 4% of organ donors suffered from post-cardiac-arrest 
		    anoxic brain damage
		 4% of organ donors suffered from "other" :)

These numbers have held pretty steady for this area, as well as 
nationwide, over the past 5 years

Additionally, we try to convince doctors and medical staff to let the 
recovery coordinators make the request about organ donation.  Again in 
1993 local statistics, hospital staff had a 10% consent rate; recovery 
coordinators (as a group) had a 65% consent rate.  This too holds with 
nationwide statistics.

I think, though, that I agree with Ted about "Emergency" being the most 
realistic EMS show ever done.  When all else fails, stick with the 
classics...

Followups through e-mail please...

--
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