The Human Tissue Squad (BBC)

[Dedworth]

Watched this on BBC I Player -

Two-part documentary following the young tissue donation team and staff at Liverpool's national human tissue bank, who are on the front line maintaining the country's life-saving heart valves, skin and bone.

The team battles a shortage of tissue supplies as it attempts to fulfil demand from hospitals nationwide, while the hunt is on for a donor shin bone to help 19-year-old Morgan.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...quad-episode-1

Very interesting programme about a crucial but unreported part of the NHS

[Doc Alan]

Thank you Dedworth – the second episode of this two-part documentary is tonight ( Monday 8 September ) on BBC3 at 9 pm.


 Although the documentary is about obtaining tissues – such as corneas, tendons, bones and skin – from the newly deceased, with the necessary sensitivity obtaining consent from the bereaved, it draws attention to the need for donation, still a taboo topic for many.


 Most of us would have a blood transfusion, have a corneal transplant, or take an organ such as a kidney, if we needed one.


 However, three people are thought to die each day in the UK due to a shortage of organs. Only 4% of us give blood. Roughly 10,000 people in the UK need a transplant.


 Around 1/10 of the world’s population suffer chronic kidney disease – but most patients requiring a transplant won’t get one.


 In the UK we have an " opt-in " regime of informed consent. A potential donor has to sign their intent by enrolling on a Donor Register. Less than a third have done so. From next year the system in Wales will change to " opt-out ". Most families said " yes " to donation if their loved one’s decision to donate was known ; but they can and do refuse, in which case donation is unlikely ( and a patient waiting for an organ may die ).


 The good news is that the number of transplants ( mostly kidney ) increased by 10% in the last financial year – either from living donors, or ( more often ) donated after death. Over 4,600 transplants were carried out.


 Find out more about tissue donation on the NHS Blood and Transplant Donation website (www.nhsbt.nhs.uk)



 Read about organ donation on the NHS website(www.organdonation.nhs.uk).




 Around the world, over 100,000 transplants are done each year in over 100 countries. The World Health Organization ( WHO ) thinks up to 1/10 kidney transplants still result from " commercial transactions " ( trafficking in human organs ) – despite legislation forbidding organ sales in most countries, including the Philippines. http://www.thelancet.com/journals/la...lltext?rss=yes


 Organ transplants are a controversial issue in the Philippines. The government banned transplants of Filipino kidneys to foreigners in 2008, but it may well still be going on. The system is " opt-in " as in the UK. The Philippines has a National Kidney and Transplant Institute, and a Human Organ Preservation Effort ( HOPE ) which is a network for organs and tissues attempting to improve the situation ( around one person may die each week waiting for a transplant ). http://www.nkti.gov.ph/organ_donation.do


 The Philippine Red Cross (http://www.redcross.org.ph/what-we-d...blood-services
) is one of the major suppliers of blood, while the Philippine Blood Disease and Transfusion Center provides transfusion services and offers care for patients with blood disorders (http://www.doh.gov.ph/content/philip...od-center.html
).

[Dedworth]

Thanks Doc for the abundance of useful info & background on doning - following your link I've now amended my donor details to add tissue to the previous organ only. Not sure if my knee joints are top spec but they might help someone out

As one of the 4% giving blood last week, I found myself amongst some esteemed company, in hindsight I should have bent former Attorney General Dominic Grieves ear over his support for the European Human Rights Act

[Arthur Little]

I used to be a regular blood donor ... ... but cannot participate any more now for two reasons:

1. I am over 65
2. I am diabetic

[Dedworth]

Watched Episode 2 last night, the lives of those receiving the transplants are certainly transformed. Apparently there is a 2 year wait for corneal graft, the guy on there had already had one eye done and he was now getting the second so he's seeing through two different peoples eyes

[Doc Alan]

I’m glad you have seen the second episode, Dedworth, and your thread has so far had well over 100 views. The documentary shows how tissues from the deceased may help the living.

Similarly post mortem examinations are still useful, not just for legal reasons, but also to uncover and understand illnesses better - for the benefit of future patients and the health care workers looking after them.