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Is Organ/Tissue Donation Possible When Someone Dies at Home?
Organ donation usually isn’t feasible when someone dies at home, due to the logistics of transportation and coordination, and the short time most organs are viable after death. Vital organs […]
Organ donation usually isn’t feasible when someone dies at home, due to the logistics of transportation and coordination, and the short time most organs are viable after death. Vital organs such as the heart or liver only remain viable and appropriate for transplantation for a certain number of hours after a potential donor has died. Some examples of how long vital organs can remain viable include:
- Heart: 4 to 6 hours
- Lungs: 2 to 4 hours
- Liver: 12 to 18 hours
- Pancreas: 12 to 18 hours
- Kidneys: up to 48 hours
Due to these extremely limited time frames, only people who are in the hospital on ventilator support are usually candidates for donating vital organs.
Although organ donation isn’t possible, tissue donation may be an option when someone dies at home because tissues have a different timeline for viability. Tissues such as corneas, heart valves, veins, tendons and many others can typically be removed from the donor up to 24 hours after the person dies. Additionally, once removed from the donor, tissues have greater longevity than organs since they can be processed and stored for extended periods prior to transplantation.
Ultimately, if donation is an interest and the potential donor has a preference of dying at home, it’s essential to develop a plan of how to properly handle the process ahead of time. This may include contacting a local tissue bank or organ procurement organization to ensure that they are equipped and qualified to handle the donation process.
Organizations such as the National Donate Life Registry can also provide additional information on how to plan ahead for tissue or organ donations. By proactively researching these options, individuals may be able to ensure that their wishes are communicated and honored.
Sources
“Frequently Asked Questions About Organ Donation for Older Adults”. National Institute on Aging. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/organ-donation/frequently-asked-questions-about-organ-donation-older-adults
“What is the Time Frame for Transplanting Organs?”. Donor Alliance. https://www.donoralliance.org/newsroom/donation-essentials/what-is-the-time-frame-for-transplanting-organs
“Tissue Donation”. Donate Life. https://donatelife.net/donation/organs/tissue-donation/
“National Donate Life Registry”. Donate Life. https://donatelife.net/donation/donor-registries/national-donate-life-registry/
