Chapter 88 Kidney Transplantation and the Principles of Transplantation

Brainstem death occurs after severe brain injury as a result of either trauma or a cerebrovascular accident. Brainstem death is defined as the permanent loss of the capacity for consciousness and spontaneous breathing. The reticular activating formation controls consciousness and is diffuse throughout the brainstem; the respiratory centre is in the medulla oblongata. Donation after circulatory death describes the recovery of organs for transplantation after death confirmed by circulatory criteria. These donors were formerly called asystolic or non-heart-beating donors. Living kidney donation is possible because most individuals have two healthy kidneys and it is possible to live a normal life with a single kidney. Parts of non-paired organs can also be removed from live donors. Preservation solutions have three main components: electrolytes, an impermeant and a buffer.

Multiple Choice Questions
Weblinks

Websites

www.odt.nhs.uk/statistics-and-reports/

This website contains details of the annual activity and outcomes of all solid organ transplantation in the UK.

https://odt.btru.nihr.ac.uk/

This is the website of the NIHR Blood and Transplant Research Unit in Organ Donation and Transplantation. The unit conducts some of the leading transplant research in the UK.

https://www.edqm.eu/en/-/newsletter-transplant-2021-now-available/

Summary of comprehensive information and data for 2020 from 82 countries worldwide on donation and transplantation activities, management of waiting lists, organ donation refusals and authorised centres for transplantation activities.

https://www.transplantevidence.com/library.php/

Transplant Evidence Library from the Peter Morris Centre for Evidence in Transplantation.

https://www.esottransplantlive.org/course/view.php?id=65

This library contains hundreds recordings and presentations from past European Society for Organ Transplantation (ESOT) congresses, meetings and courses. Click on the button for a visit to the extended library.

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