Organ Donation

[George Jung]

I am wondering if it is possible for a person who is receiving a kidney transplant to be an organ donor at the same time.  If I were to receive a kidney transplant could I donate a part of my pancreas or lung (or anything that might be considered) during the same operating procedure?

[KT0930]

I've never asked specifically, but I would think with as major a surgery as receiving a transplant is, they wouldn't want to complicate it anymore than necessary. It's worth asking your transplant surgeon, though.

[stauffenberg]

It is regarded as a violation of medical ethics to take an organ or part of an organ for donation from any donor who is not in perfect physical condition, so people with endstage renal failure would be ruled out as live donors.  They figure 1) you will have enough problems protecting your health and surviving with all the organs you already have, so they won't want to burden you any further; and 2) all your organs will show non-optimal function fomr the influence on them of renal failure, so they would be non-optimal donor organs anyway.

[angela515]

As for being a cadaver donor though, as long as you don't have any other medical issues that would keep you from donating organs after you passed away if they were viable, I think you could do that.. not sure, as I cannot.