Increase in Pediatric Transplants
by Raina Jain
Posted on May 24, 2013
According to University of Utah pediatric fellow Jennifer K. Workman, M.D., there has been an increase in solid organ transplants for pediatric patients. Simultaneously, Dr. Workman’s 10-year study on pediatric organ donation shows a decrease in the number of deaths of children on the transplant wait-list.
This positive news is a result of a change in the circumstances under which organs are donated to pediatric patients. In the past, organs were donated after a patient was declared brain dead. Now, donation can occur after “circulatory determination of death” (DCDD), where a patient has no chance of recovery. The patient’s family can withdraw them from life support and donate their organs. This type of donation is increasingly receiving support.
Workman emphasizes the importance of the family’s decision on the patient’s organs- “there are just not enough donor organs for all the people waiting on the transplant list. There are upwards of 118,000 people waiting on the transplant list. Thousands of them will die every year waiting for an organ.”
To decrease the waitlist for organ transplants, Workman suggests multiple methods. In particular, it is crucial for medical communities to work together to coordinate a smooth organ donation process for the families. Pediatric donation, by any method, Workman says, will greatly alleviate the strain on the United States organ shortage.
