Care of the Organ Donor in the ICU

Abstract

The number of patients awaiting a solid organ transplant in the United States continues to grow each year despite efforts to increase the donor pool. Because only 1% of all deaths in the United States may become eligible as organ donors, the preservation of donors and the maximum number of organs from each donor is essential. Optimal organ procurement rests on the principles of early identification of potential donors, timely family- and patient-centric discussion of the option for organ donation and then careful donor management up to and through the procurement process. Health care practitioners in the ICU play important roles at each step of this process. This article outlines the basic considerations for optimizing organ quality during the donation process.