Tissue Donation

TISSUE DONATION ASSESSMENT PRIOR TO REFERRAL- A GUIDE FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

The criteria below are to help staff carry out an initial assessment of the deceased to see if they might be a suitable donor. If you require further assistance please call:

National Referral Centre (NRC) on 0800 432 0559

(opening times 08.00-20.00).

MAIN CONTRAINDICATIONS TO ALL TISSUE DONATION:

• Dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s - Neurodegenerative disease of unknown aetiology • Progressive memory loss of unknown origin - Risk factors for CJD or its variant dementia • SARS-CoV-2 (Covid 19) • History of haematological cancer (Lymphoma, leukaemia, myeloma). • Thrombocytopenia of unknown cause • History of malignant melanoma • History of chronic viral hepatitis or HIV infection • Diseases of unknown aetiology if cause unclear e.g.

Multiple Sclerosis • Previous Organ or Tissue Transplant • Some behavioural/Lifestyle risks (e.g. current IV drug use)

SPECIFIC CONTRAINDICATIONS TO EYE DONATION:

• Primary and metastatic eye cancer • Intrinsic Eye disease: e.g., active eye inflammation or infection. • Sepsis due to a viral or fungal infection (NB. bacterial sepsis not a contraindication for eye only donation)

SPECIFIC CONTRAINDICATIONS TO MULTI TISSUE DONATION (EYE DONATION STILL POSSIBLE):

• Any Sepsis/systemic infection • Cancer — exceptions are: basal cell carcinoma, non-haematological pre-cancerous diseases e.g. Barretts oesophagus and cancer insitu fully excised.

Following review of the above contraindications your patient is a potential tissue donor:-

Following patient’s death please ask the Next of Kin/family if they would like more information about the possibility of tissue donation. This is something positive for the family and can give them comfort and pride in helping others. If the family agree to this obtain a contact number from Next of Kin and refer the patient to the National Referral Centre on the contact number above. Tell the family to expect a call from the National Referral Centre (in daytime hours) but if they do not receive a call it means that the patient has been assessed further and are not suitable for tissue donation. The National Referral Centre will also check the Organ Donation register to check if any known decision is registered by the patient. They will require some information about the patient’s hospital stay. If the patient dies between 20.00-08.00 you can still call the National Referral Centre and leave a message. A Tissue Coordinator will contact the ward after 08.00 the following day for the required information. Please ensure the notes are available for this on the ward however if not, they will call General Office. If the patient is not suitable the NRC will inform you and will not contact the family.