Allocation

an amount or portion of a resource assigned to a particular recipient.

Allograft

An allograft is a transplant of tissue (like bone, ligaments, or heart valves) from one person to another of the same species, but who is not an identical twin

Blood Vessels

Blood vessels are a network of tubular structures that transport blood throughout the body. They play a crucial role in the circulatory system, delivering oxygen and nutrients to tissues and removing waste products

Brain Death

Brain death is a medical and legal definition of death that occurs when all functions of the brain, including the brainstem, permanently cease.

Circulatory Death

Circulatory death, also known as death after circulatory death (DCD), refers to the irreversible cessation of all circulatory and respiratory functions, which can lead to organ donation after death.

Connective Tissue

Connective tissue is a diverse group of tissues that provide support, structure, and protection to the body. It is found throughout the body, connecting and holding different organs and tissues together.

Cross-Matching

Cross matching is a laboratory test used to determine if a donor's blood or organ is compatible with a recipient. It is an essential step in ensuring safe blood transfusions and organ transplants.

Deceased Donor

A deceased donor is someone who has recently died and whose organs or tissues are used for transplantation after their death, typically after they have expressed their wishes to donate or their family has given consent.

Donor Registry

To register as an organ, eye, and tissue donor in Ohio, you can do so through the Ohio Donor Registry managed by the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), either online, at a BMV office, or by mail.

Human Leukocyte Antigens (HLA)

Human leukocyte antigens (HLA) are proteins found on the surface of most cells in the body. They play a crucial role in the immune system by identifying and distinguishing between "self" (body's own cells) and "foreign" (invaders like viruses, bacteria, or transplanted tissues).

Immunosuppressive Drugs

Immunosuppressant drugs are medications that weaken the immune system by inhibiting its ability to recognize and attack foreign invaders, such as viruses, bacteria, and transplanted organs. They are used to prevent or treat conditions where the immune system overreacts or attacks healthy tissues, such as:

Living Donor

A living donor is a person who donates an organ or part of an organ while they are still alive, most commonly a kidney or part of the liver, to someone in need of a transplant, offering a faster and potentially better quality organ than waiting for a deceased donor.

National Organ Transplant Act (NOTA)

The National Organ Transplant Act (NOTA), passed in 1984, established the framework for a national organ recovery and allocation system, including the creation of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) to improve organ matching and address the organ donation shortage.

Organ Donation

Organ donation involves taking healthy organs and tissues from one person and giving them to someone else who needs them, potentially saving or significantly improving lives. You can register to be an organ donor through your state's registry or by marking your choice on your driver's license, and it's crucial to also inform your family of your wishes.

Organ Preservation

Organ preservation refers to techniques used to maintain the viability and function of organs after removal from a donor body, in preparation for transplantation. The goal is to minimize organ damage and extend the time they can be stored before being transplanted into a recipient.

Organ Procurement

Organ procurement is the surgical removal of viable organs or tissues from a deceased or living donor for transplantation into a recipient with end-stage organ failure, potentially increasing life expectancy and improving quality of life.

Organ Viability

Organ viability refers to the time an organ remains functional and suitable for transplantation after being removed from a donor's body, varying by organ type, with some like the heart and lungs having shorter timeframes than others like kidneys.

Recipient

receiving or capable of receiving something.

Rejection

the dismissing or refusing of a proposal, idea, etc.

Tendons

Tendons are tough, fibrous cords that connect muscles to bones. They play a crucial role in transmitting the force generated by muscle contractions, enabling movement.

Tissue

Tissue is a group of cells that work together to perform a specific function in the body.

Transplant Center

The Transplant Center offers leading-edge consultation, treatments, and surgical interventions to patients with a variety of diseases that require transplant surgery.

Waiting List

a list of people who have asked for something that is not immediately available but will be in the future: The hospital has a two-year waiting list for minor operations. The course is full, but I can put you on the waiting list, in case someone drops out.