An organ donor can save seven lives: A full guide to this noble pledge

India Today

20-05-2025

Organ donation is a life-saving medical intervention that has the power to transform lives. In India, the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) regulates, coordinates and promotes organ donation and transplantation. Dr Anant Kumar, chairman, urology, kidney transplant and robotics, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, New Delhi, explains the humanity and technicalities of pledging your organs to save someone's life.Organ donation can be categorised into two types: living organ donation and cadaveric (deceased) organ donation.advertisementLIVING ORGAN DONATIONA healthy individual voluntarily donates an organ/tissue to a recipient in need. This is possible because some organs/tissues can be donated without significantly affecting the donor's health.
The most commonly donated organs are kidney, liver, lung, pancreas, intestine, tissues (bone, skin). However, in clinical practice, only one kidney and part of the liver are donated.CADAVERIC (DECEASED) ORGAN DONATIONCadaveric donation takes place when a person is declared dead, either due to cardiac death or brain death. In such cases, multiple organs and tissues can be retrieved and transplanted to patients in need.Organs and tissues that can be donated after death are heart, lung, liver, kidneys, pancreas, intestine, cornea (to restore vision), skin (for burn patients), heart valves, bones, tendons and ligaments.BRAIN DEATH AND ORGAN DONATIONadvertisementBrain death is a state in which a person has permanently lost all brain functions and reflexes, but their heart can still beat with medical support. Once brain death occurs, the body cannot survive. Some children, though, can survive with life support for 3-4 days.A team of independent doctors perform a series of clinical tests to confirm brain death. The process follows strict guidelines under the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (THOTA), 1994 in India.The key criteria are:Absent brainstem reflexes: No response to light, pain or other stimuli.Apnea test: The patient is unable to breathe without ventilator support.Loss of consciousness: No activity in the brain, confirmed through EEG.Once brain death is confirmed, the family is counselled about organ donation. If consent is given, organ retrieval is performed while the body is on artificial support to maintain circulation.ROLE OF NOTTONOTTO, operating under the Union ministry of health and family welfare, is responsible for regulation and coordination of organ donation, organ distribution and transplantation in India. Its functions are:Maintaining a database of patients awaiting transplants and allocating organs based on medical urgency and compatibility.Working with hospitals, state authorities and transplant organisations to facilitate organ retrieval and distribution.Conducting educational programmes promoting organ donations.Ensuring ethical and legal guidelines are followed.Preventing illegal organ trade and enforcing THOTA.PROCESS OF ORGAN DONATIONadvertisementFor living donation, the donor undergoes a comprehensive medical evaluation, including psychological counselling, to ensure they are fit for donation. Once found eligible, the organ is surgically retrieved and transplanted into the recipient.For cadaveric donation, the patient is declared brain dead following strict medical protocols. Consent is thereby obtained from the family. The hospital informs NOTTO or a transplant organisation about the available organs. The organ allocation process takes place based on urgency and compatibility. Organs are retrieved and transported under sterile conditions to the recipient's hospital.EVERY ORGAN DONOR IS A HEROWith increasing awareness, better medical facilities and strong regulatory bodies like NOTTO, more people can be encouraged to become donors. Families of brain-dead individuals should consider organ donation as a way to give life even in death. By dispelling myths, legal hurdles and ethical challenges, India can progress towards a more efficient and compassionate organ donation system.Please donate your organs after death. You don't need organs in heaven. You can pledge organ donation now and let your family and friends know your wish. It will help them in taking a decision after your death. Be an organ donor and save up to seven lives.advertisementSubscribe to India Today Magazine