Factors related to organ donation from brain dead patients in teaching hospitals of mashhad university of medical sciences during 1392-1385

Using organs of brain death patients for the purpose of donation is being done in many countries. Brain death is considered as entire cease of all brain works. In spite of the high rate of brain death in Iran, a great number of families do not consent to donor organs of the brain dath patient. This research aims to examine
factors associated with organ donation in cases which have been referred to the organ donor provisional department of Mashhad university of medical sciences.
Material:This cross sectional study was done on patients referred to the organ donor provisional department of Mashhad university of medical sciences throughout the years 2006 to 2013. 1012 patients were admitted as brain death patients and patient related data were recorded. The patients’ next of kin were counseled and if they agreed, the donation was done. The research data were analyzed by student T test & chi square, using SPSS software.
Among all brain death cases, trauma related to car accidents was the most prevalent reason with 664 cases(65.5%). Other reasons were CVA Ischemic (168 cases or 16.6%) , Anoxia (87 cases or 8.6%), brain tumors (66 cases or 6.5%), repectively. Among all the brain death cases, there were merely 347 (51.8 %) organ donations. Race, age, living in small cities, causes of brain death and the time of the brain death had impact on proportion of organ donations.
In this study, trauma resulted from car accidents with 65.5% have been recognized as the most common cause of brain death. In spite of the potentially suitable organ donors, more than two thirds of these sources are not used due to lack of family consent. Making arrangements with the aim of raising the public awareness regarding their knowledge of brain death and training professionals, seems to be essential to persuade people to accept donation.