Truths and myths about transplantation

Are kidney banks functioning? How much does it hurt to do bone marrow collection? Is it true that doctors are trying less for the lives of patients who have agreed to postmortem organ donation? What about organ trafficking? These and other questions often appear in the minds of people interested in the subject of transplantation. How can truth be distinguished from myths?

Organ transplants are one of the most important achievements of modern medicine. It is true that the first kidney transplant was performed more than half a century ago, but it is still a politically and religiously controversial topic. Due to doubts and ignorance, many people hesitate to sign a declaration of will, which means that there are many more waiting for a transplant than those who will be saved thanks to transplantation. The issue of bone marrow donation is also a problem, as the procedure is commonly associated with great pain. Since 2012, when the record number of transplants was performed in Poland (1611 procedures), this result seems to remain at a similar level (last year, the total number of transplants was 1616). This is far too little compared to the number of people in need. Perhaps exposing the myths about transplantation will help open up to this form of invaluable help to people.

There are kidney banks and there are bone marrow banks – MIT

Both sick and healthy people who want to donate ask about it. There is no facility from which you can pick up a fresh kidney at any time. You can look for help at Bone Marrow Banks, as well as register there in order to donate healthy marrow to those in need.

There is trade in organs in Poland – MIT

Each organ donation and transplantation procedure involves extremely complicated procedures and must be performed in a specialized hospital. Several dozen people watch over it and all transplant cases are closely monitored. In addition, a transplant patient requires qualified medical care and expensive preparations, and in order to receive prescriptions for them, he must be registered in the National Register of Transplants. With such far-reaching restrictions, the theory that someone could acquire an organ on the black market is merely a sensational myth.

Only a person related to the recipient – MIT – can be a bone marrow donor

An adult up to 55 years of age can become a bone marrow donor. The relationship is not important, the most important for the donor and recipient is the compatibility of HLA antigens, which is verified in advance.

You can unsubscribe from the list of potential bone marrow donors – TRUE

In order to resign from being a bone marrow donor, it is enough to report to the Central Register of Unrelated Donors of Marrow and Cord Blood. Unsubscribing does not have any consequences.

Doctors are not trying to get the lives of patients who have agreed to transplant their organs after death – MIT

An absolute myth. Every doctor values ​​human life above all benefits, which he vowed by taking the Hippocratic Oath. There is not the slightest risk that any physician will neglect his duties due to our consent to posthumous organ donation.

Organs are also collected from people in a coma who could wake up – MYTH

Doctors will not proceed with organ harvesting unless they find clinical brain death. There is no fear that the organs will be removed from the patient “in his lifetime” – this is a view that has emerged on the wave of sensational films.

– This is obviously nonsense and if a doctor says it, it proves that he is an under-educated doctor who should not have the right to practice, says Wojciech Marcinkowski, the main medical expert of the “Second Life” campaign, which deals with raising public awareness about the benefits of transplantation and the opportunity that transplants give to terminally ill people.

The bone marrow extraction procedure is extremely painful – MYTH

Nowadays, almost 80 percent of bone marrow harvesting procedures are performed using apheresis, i.e. the collection of stem cells from the peripheral blood. The donor takes a special preparation that causes the stem cells to pass from the marrow into the blood. These are then separated by a special machine. The pain associated with the procedure can be compared to a regular blood sampling.

The second method, i.e. bone marrow extraction by puncturing the hip bone, is always performed under general anesthesia, sometimes anesthesia is also used. The patient is completely insensitive to punctures. The stress that potential donors feel about the pain is likely due to the fact that the needles used in the procedure are large in size. After waking up, the donor may feel a little discomfort, but – as Professor Andrzej Lange from the Lower Silesian Center for Cell Transplantation noted: “The joy that someone has helped is so great that you do not think about pain.”

The names of potential bone marrow donors are public – MIT

Personal data of those willing to donate bone marrow are confidential. There is no publicly available list of donor names.

Bone marrow donation procedures are very complicated – MYTH

There is no need to wait for a specific request for help to donate your bone marrow for transplantation purposes. It is enough to fill in a declaration of will to enter into the Central Register of Unrelated Donors of Marrow and Cord Blood, which is available at every blood donation center and on the Internet. The potential donor’s blood is then drawn and the type of HLA antigens is checked. Only when a recipient with identical antigens is found, the next stage takes place – the health of the future donor is carefully examined (e.g. in terms of infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases or cancer – these factors disqualify from donating bone marrow). If everything is OK, the donor will finally confirm that he or she wants to undergo the procedure. At this stage, you can still withdraw without any consequences.

The bone marrow harvesting procedure is associated with a long hospital stay – MIT

Most procedures use the method of collecting stem cells from the blood, which takes about three hours and does not require staying in the hospital.

A patient who donates bone marrow by piercing the iliac plate regenerates very quickly. The procedure (under general anesthesia) is performed in the general room. If there are no contraindications, the donor returns home the very next day.

An organ donor’s body is deformed to such an extent that there are problems with a proper funeral – MYTH

The operation to remove organs for transplant has no drastic consequences and does not significantly affect the appearance of the body of the deceased. Doctors make efforts to ensure that the appearance of the deceased does not change. Only the sewing marks are visible, most often hidden under clothing anyway.

The bone marrow donor is charged with the costs of the procedure – MIT

All financial issues are dealt with by the National Health Fund. The donor does not bear the smallest costs associated with the procedures and surgery of bone marrow collection.

Scars remain after the bone marrow extraction procedure – MYTH

After the apheresis (separation of cells from the blood), no traces are left as the procedure is similar to a normal blood donation. When the bone marrow is removed with a few punctures from the hip bone, fine traces are left behind. Mornings heal quickly. If the donor follows the doctors’ instructions for the care and dressing of the hip, not the slightest trace is left after a month.