Organ, Eye and Tissue Donation
How Does Organ, Eye and Tissue Donation Work?
Choosing to be an organ, eye and tissue donor is a powerful decision.
You can give the gift of life to others by registering to be a donor today. Learn more about the organ donation process below.
Traumatic Injuries & End of Life Care
Unfortunately, traumatic injuries happen. When they do, emergency medical personnel on the scene and doctors in the hospital will make every effort to restore life to the patient, regardless of one’s organ donor designation status.
Organ Transplant Referral
Hospitals are solely responsible for declaring death. Infinite Legacy is not involved in patient care and only has authority to proceed with organ recovery after an independent hospital doctor has declared death. If a patient is declared dead by a doctor(s) in a Maryland, Washington, DC or Northern Virginia hospital, the hospital will refer the patient case to Infinite Legacy, this region’s organ procurement organization (OPO).
Patient Evaluation for Organ Donation
Only once death is declared by the hospital doctor(s), a specially trained organ recovery specialist from Infinite Legacy will go to the hospital and evaluate if the patient is medically suitable to be an organ donor.
First Person Authorization
Infinite Legacy will check local state and national registries to see if the patient is a registered organ donor. If so, we will inform the family that their loved one was registered to give the gift of life to others in need of an organ, eye or tissue transplant. Infinite Legacy has a legal obligation to honor all end-of-life decisions, including donor designation. The states of Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia recognize that registering to be an organ donor is a legally binding decision that Infinite Legacy and hospitals are required to honor after death.
Family Approval & Authorization
If a patient is not registered to be an organ donor, but is determined medically suitable to be one, a specially trained family services coordinator from Infinite Legacy will discuss organ, eye and tissue donation options with the patient’s family. The family can ask questions and reflect before deciding on behalf of their loved one.
Organ, Eye & Tissue Recovery
If authorization is granted either through first-person authorization or family authorization, the patients’ viable organs and tissues will be recovered by surgical teams. Next, an organ candidate will be selected by a computer matching system based on factors such as blood and tissue type, organ/tissue size, how sick the patient is, time spent waiting and geographic proximity to the donor hospital.
Planning Funeral Arrangements
The decision to be an organ, eye and donor does not affect having an open casket nor does it delay any funeral services.
What is VCA Donation?
Vascular Composite Allograft (VCA) is a form of organ donation that includes donating organs like hands, feet, uteri and more. VCA recipients have often experienced a traumatic event or accident that significantly changed their lifestyle and physical appearance. VCA donation has the power to increase a recipient’s quality of life and movement. It can even provide psychological and physical healing.
Did You Know?
Upper limbs, uteri, hands and faces are now considered organs.
How is Tissue Donation Different from Organ Donation?
While less than one percent of hospital deaths meet the criteria for organ donation, tissue donation is open to nearly everyone. Hospitals are required to report all deaths to their designated organ procurement organization (OPO).
If the tissue donor meets donor eligibility, the registry is checked. Once authorization is verified or consent is given by the potential donor’s family, a medical team is dispatched by the OPO. Each tissue donor can save and enhance more than 75 lives.