Although there are a number of review articles discussing the various challenges in deceased organ donation, clinical studies examining the practical on-ground hurdles remain scarce. The present prospective case series at an Indian Armed Forces organ transplant center aimed to assess the real-world challenges that impact the successful conversion of potential brain-dead organ donors to actual donors. A total of ten patients were enrolled. All patients were found eligible for retrieval of one or more organs by the transplant team. Organ retrieval was authorized by the attendants of six patients, but consent was withheld by the attendants of four patients. The challenges included: demanding pre-retrieval management; acceptance of the brain-death diagnosis by family; a lack of consensus within the family; cultural beliefs; fear of body disfigurement; funeral delays; and mistrust. Free healthcare at Armed Forces hospitals may also inadvertently reduce donation rates by removing financial pressure for continued supportive care.
Pahuja et al. (Thu,) studied this question.