Organ transplantation is the best available established method for the treatment of end-stage failure of most essential organs. However, the need for viable organ supply limits its progress; thus, we studied the actual Brain Death (BD) reporting to the potential pool of possible donors in the country. We compared the figures and composition of the cases of BD reported nationally during the year 2003 to Saudi Centre for Organ Transplantation (SCOT) with the actual number of in- hospital death records of the Ministry of Health and the data concerning the fatal accidents compiled and reported by Saudi Arabian Red Crescent over the same period.
The actual number of deceased potential donors from in- hospital death records is about 700 cases/year (2% of in-hospital death) (amounts to 33.3 PMP). On the other hand, SCOT recorded a total of 360 (17 PMP) reported case of BD which is almost 50% of expected cases with only 12% (2.5 PMP) actual rate of organ retrieval. The estimated number of potential donors from Road Traffic Accident (RTA) is 500/year. This figure is based on calculating 12% of the recorded 4,161 fatal accidents (amounts to 23.8 PMP). This compares to the current reported number of only 153 cases (i.e. 7.3 PMP) which are only 30.6% of expected cases from RTA. Taking into account the potential BD cases as described above, one would expect the figure to be reported 3.36 times the current. Early identification and awareness of potential organ donors followed by early reporting to SCOT is required. ER/ICU staff and the Red Crescent paramedics should augment their skills in resuscitation and management procedures to identify potential BD donors so as to decrease the gap between the actual and the possible number of BD.