Organ Donation Saves Lives

Organ Donation Saves Lives

As we know, tissue and organ transplants provide a final hope for many patients who are struggling with acute and chronic diseases. In our country, many patients are also waiting in line for this hope. Although we are one of the leading countries in live organ transplants, unfortunately, we are not at an optimal point when it comes to organ donation from cadavers or those who have experienced brain death. Live organ transplantation involves complex procedures that are expensive and carry risks. On the other hand, organ retrieval from cadavers is relatively simple and involves fewer risks. Efforts continue to reverse this unfortunate situation in our country.

In this context, legal cases involving brain death in young, healthy individuals often provide a significant source for organ donation. However, the legal aspect of these cases and the need for autopsies can cause serious challenges in practice.

On October 15, 2022, following the diagnosis of brain death in a young legal case at Avcılar Hospital, the family was immediately asked if they wished to donate the organs. It was documented that the family made the noble decision to save lives.

Upon receiving this positive response, our physicians contacted the organ transplantation center and consulted with the Head of Forensic Medicine at Koç University due to the legal nature of the case, thereby initiating the process. As known, regulations in our country provide facilitative procedures that prioritize human life. One crucial aspect is ensuring that no evidence is lost during the autopsy following the retrieval of the organs. Depending on the case, certain precautions are implemented, such as having a forensic medicine expert present during surgery, video recording the procedure, and having a forensic expert confirm that the surgery will not compromise the autopsy process.

Meticulous examinations are carried out on the organ donor, requiring important medical procedures. In this matter, which also involves medicolegal risks, our doctors demonstrated exceptional professionalism by strictly following legal procedures, ensuring that the race against time was won in favor of patients waiting for life-saving organs. Within approximately 24 hours, the team was able to retrieve the organs, which had been kept viable using all the technical facilities of our hospital.

At the end of an exhausting weekend, we feel the peace and joy of having touched multiple lives in such a valuable matter as saving human lives. We believe that one of our duties is to share this information with you, ensuring that you remain hopeful and serve as a beacon of hope, even in legal cases. For this reason, we have prepared this announcement. If we, as healthcare professionals, work together with our valued community, we can continue to provide hope to the thousands of patients waiting for organ donations.

Finally, we would like to extend our gratitude to the law enforcement officers, public prosecutors, forensic medicine experts, and our hospital doctors and healthcare professionals, as well as the physicians from the organ transplant center who supported this process. Of course, our greatest thanks and deepest gratitude go to the heroic family who lost their child.

Sincerely.