Although many people in Germany are already organ donors, far too few people still deal with this important issue. Only one in eight has documented their decision in an organ donor card. Surveys show that especially those people agree to organ donation who are well informed about it.
The most frequently asked questions and answers about organ donation
For many people, the topic of organ donation is associated with ambiguity and unanswered questions – which is why they often shy away from deciding to donate an organ. Yet donor organs are urgently needed. Here you will find answers to the most frequently asked questions about organ donation.
What can I write on an organ donor card? What happens to the card?
In the organ donor card, everyone can document their decision to donate organs in writing. The ID card allows various options: for example, one can agree to organ donation, exclude individual organs or tissues, donate only individual organs and tissues, or reject organ and tissue donation altogether. It is also possible to transfer the decision to a trusted person. The ID card is not registered. It is therefore best to carry it with you at all times. Because of its credit card format, it fits in any wallet. If no ID card is available in the case of brain death, relatives are asked to decide according to the presumed will of the deceased.
Why should I fill out an organ donor card?
There are many arguments in favor of an organ donor card. The most important is that with this decision one gives other people the chance of a second life. In addition, one should consider that everyone can get into the situation of being dependent on a life-saving organ donation and would then certainly like to accept this gift themselves. If everyone is willing to give, everyone also has a greater chance of receiving a life-saving organ if needed. In addition, one should make his own decision, in order not to burden the family in an emergency also with this question.
Is there an age limit for organ donation?
No. At any age, a decision to donate an organ is possible. What counts is the functionality of the organs. However, this depends only to a limited extent on the calendar age. Whether an organ is suitable for transplantation can only be decided at the time of the removal operation.
Will everything medically possible be done for me if I have agreed to donate my organs?
Yes, of course, because the primary goal of doctors and all medical measures is to save the patient’s life. However, sometimes all help comes too late. The disease or consequences of an accident have damaged the brain so severely that saving life is not possible even with all intensive medical measures. If this is the case, the question of organ donation arises. For this, death must be established by proof of the failure of all brain functions. Therefore, only people who are brain dead can be considered as organ donors. Of the approximately 400,000 people who die in German hospitals each year, brain death occurs before cardiac arrest in about one percent.
When is organ donation possible?
Organ donation is only possible when two experienced physicians have independently determined brain death. They must not be involved in either the removal or the transfer of the organs. Brain death is the irreversible failure of the entire brain, i.e. the cerebrum, the cerebellum and the brain stem. The brain is the superior control organ of all elementary life processes. With its complete failure, the human being has also died in its entirety. The second requirement for organ donation is the consent of the deceased or his relatives.
What criteria are used to allocate donor organs?
There are set criteria according to which the organ procurement agency Eurotransplant allocates donated organs to patients on waiting lists. For Germany, the German Medical Association has written precise medical guidelines. The focus is on urgency and the likelihood of success. These guidelines ensure equal opportunities for all waiting list patients. Preferential treatment, for example due to a special social status, is excluded and against the law.
Can relatives say goodbye to the deceased once again after organ donation?
Yes.The relatives can say goodbye to the deceased after organ removal in any way they wish. The body is handed over for burial in a dignified condition.
