Organspende in Deutschland - wann und wie? Ein Fall für Transplantationsbeauftragte

BACKGROUND: Organ donation of deceased is the main prerequisite for solid organ transplantation. The use of hospital-internal, independent staff as so-called "in-house coordinators" are required since 2012 in Germany.

OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: Treatment algorithms and therapy recommendations of central organ donation processes based on the tasks and competencies of in-house coordinators who work in close cooperation with intensive care physicians, neurologists, neurosurgeons and the German organ procurement organisation are presented and discussed within the framework of a review.

RESULTS: In all patients with acute severe brain damage and unfavorable cerebral prognosis, in the context of end-of-life decisions and especially after brain death diagnosis, the willingness of patients to donate organs is the decisive question. In addition to this difficult question, the detection, evaluation, selection, brain death confirmation, intensive care therapy of a potential donor as well as the organizational management and the accompaniment of relatives are core processes.

CONCLUSION: The identification of potential organ donors and their treatment is a task for all emergency and intensive care physicians and in-house coordinators.