Nonheart-beating donation in the neurologically devastated patient

Abstract

A national shortage of organs for transplantation has led to a renewed interest in an old concept of using nonheart-beating organ donors as a source of organs for transplantation. Nonheart-beating donors are patients who have organ procurement obtained after death has been declared by cardiopulmonary criteria as opposed to the traditional heart-beating donor who has been declared dead by neurological criteria. The practice seems promising to increase the available organ supply. This article reviews the history, classification, protocols, and ethical issues involved with nonheart-beating organ donation.