Potential availability of transplantable organs according to factors associated with type of injury event

Waller, Julian A.; Haisch, Carl E.; Skelly, Joan M.

Affiliations

¹Department of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont

²Department of Surgery, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont

³Biometry Facility, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont

Abstract

Study of potential availability of transplantable organs from injury fatalities examined target organ damage or disease, age, duration of survival before circulatory arrest, and universal rejection factors such as sepsis, HIV infection or systemic malignancy. Motor vehicle fatalities yielded the greatest proportion of potentially viable organs. Delay in discovery and universal rejection factors were important exclusionary issues for fatalities from suicide, homicide, and non motor vehicle unintentional injury. There was no difference in organ damage or in duration of survival with higher speeds in fatal crashes, suggesting that states with 65 mph speed limits--and consequently higher death rates-- may have greater potential availability of donatable organs than do those with 55 mph maximum. The increase in deaths at higher speeds, however, vastly outweighs the benefits of any possible increase in the potential for donor organs.

Cited Works (1)

Year	Entry
1989	Miller TR. 65 mph: does it save time. In: 33rd Annual Proceedings, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM). October 2-4, 1989; Baltimore, MD.73-90.