State Transplant Center enables first multiple organ donation at HCPA Pernambuco Transplant Center makes it possible

the donation of two kidneys, liver and two corneas, in the early hours of this Tuesday (07/05), at the Pernambuco Cancer Hospital (HCP), located in Santo Amaro, in Recife (PE). The Hospital specializes in caring for oncology patients in the State, and is one of those responsible for cornea donations in Pernambuco, motivated mainly by the profile of patients followed by the service. Multiple donation was possible through medical evaluation and the Pernambuco Transplant Center, which at the time provided the opportunity to map other organs for donation, in addition to the corneas.

“Transplantation completely changes the course of life for people waiting for an organ. Transplantation often brings a quality of life to these people, as in the case of those undergoing hemodialysis, who are waiting for a kidney, for a cornea and makes a difference in the case of those waiting for a liver, a heart. The transplant becomes the difference between life and death. Often this act of altruism and generosity by a grieving family, who have just lost their loved one, becomes a process that comes from society and returns to society. So it is very important that citizens have the awareness to speak, to verbalize in life the desire to be an organ donor, because the family highly respects this decision”, highlights the coordinator of the Pernambuco Transplant Center, Melissa Moura.

The donor in question was monitored by the HCP due to benign brain-based intracranial cancer. After the clinical condition worsened, the medical team carried out monitoring protocols and confirmed brain death (BD). This protocol must be carried out by doctors with specific training, who monitor the patient through neurological, imaging, clinical and laboratory examinations, together with the team from the Intra-Hospital Commission for Organ and Tissue Donation (Cihdott). Cihdott is responsible for approaching the family to clarify doubts and raise awareness about organ donation. The Transplant Law, it is worth mentioning, establishes that donation can only occur after family consent.

“The Pernambuco Cancer Hospital is a reference in cornea harvesting in the state. As far as we know, this is the first time in the history of the institution that it was possible to perform multiple organ harvesting in a patient with a brain tumor, due to the particularity of the case. It shows the importance of CIHDOTT’s work in partnership with the Pernambuco Transplant Center”, highlighted the medical coordinator of CIHDOTT at the Cancer Hospital, Rogério Assunção.

TRANSPLANTS IN PERNAMBUCO – From January to March this year, 343 organs and tissues were donated in Pernambuco. Highlight is the donation of corneas with 158, followed by bone marrow (74), kidney (73) and liver (26). Regarding the waiting list, currently, 3,360 people are waiting for an organ/tissue in the state. The largest quantity is for kidney (1,756), followed by cornea (1,380) and liver (150).

Throughout 2023, 1,531 transplants were performed in Pernambuco. This number represented an increase of 11.3% compared to 2022 (1,376 procedures).