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"You can donate comfort and length to another life, like my child's, who may have died without a TISSUE DONOR'S help. Please do not pass up the chance for want of making a decision NOW. Give the gift that lasts a lifetime." Recipient's Mother.
You Can Also Donate Your Heart Valves
Become a Tissue Donor Australia has one of the lowest organ donation rates in the developed world. An estimated 100 people die each year while waiting for an organ transplant due to the shortage of organ and tissue donors. You can help save lives by registering your consent to become an organ and tissue donor. Remember to tell your partner, family or friends about your decision. Frequently Asked Questions For General Questions About Organ and Tissue Donation please click here or visit the LifeGift Website.
Q. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ORGAN AND A TISSUE DONOR?
Tissue can be donated once the patient is deceased or on a life-support system. To donate your organs, death must occur whilst connected to a ventilator in an intensive care unit.
Q. What are Heart Valve TISSUES and where are they situated in the heart?
A. The valves of the heart are made up of two or three very strong flaps of tissue, called leaflets or cusps, that open and close as the heart contracts and relaxes. When working properly, these leaflets keep blood flowing in the right direction in the heart. The mitral and tricuspid valves control the flow of blood from the upper chambers of the heart to the lower chambers. The aortic and pulmonary valves control the flow of blood out of the lower pumping chambers.
The aortic and pulmonary valves are the most useful ones in valve transplant surgery at present. Heart valve disease prevents the valves from opening or closing properly, thus interfering with the flow of blood to the lungs and other parts of the body. People with badly diseased valves die or have poor quality of life and can be confined to their beds. Babies with valve disease often have to be tube fed as just sucking milk exhausts them.
Q. Who can Donate Their Heart Valves?
A. Anybody aged 1 to 55 years.
You can identify yourself as an organ and/ or tissue donor on your Driver's Licence or you can fill out a donor card. It is important that you inform your family or next-of-kin of your desire to be a donor. When the time comes, your family or next-of-kin may be asked to give their consent.
Q. Who Will Be The Recipient Of Heart Valves?
A. Because of the limited number, these precious valves are implanted primarily into babies and children with congenital heart disease, women of child-bearing age and in special situations into other adult patients.
The identity of the donor is kept confidential.
Q. How Are Heart Valves Processed?
A. All valves found to be free of disease will be dissected, sterilised in antibiotic solution, packed and stored in an ultra-low temperature freezer at a Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) cGMP Licensed facility. They can remain frozen for up to five years. However, most are implanted within 12 months due to the high demand.
Q. What is a cGMP facility?
A. All tissue banks must be licensed by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and must effectuate quality objectives by establishing, implementing and maintaining a documented effective Quality System which complies with the requirements of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) Codes-Human Blood and Tissues and other relevant standards.
To reach our objectives, we will have to maintain a constant focus on quality with full dedication, commitment, and teamwork.
Q. Will There Be Research Undertaken On My Heart Valves?
A. No.. Specific consent is required for this to take place.
Q. Does It Cost Anything To Donate Heart Valves?
A. There is NO cost to you or your family.
q. Need More Information?
Please Contact:
The Sydney Heart Valve BankLevel 2 Xavier Building St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney Victoria Street, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010 Telephone Number: 02 8382 3271 Facsimile: 02 8382 2540 Email: shvb@stvincents.com.au
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