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Action taken to boost donor rate in Croatia

Over the last 50 years, organ transplantation has become a widely accepted and successful treatment method that has provided the best therapeutic benefit for more than one million people worldwide (Council of Europe Consensus document, 1999). Due to the outstanding results and success of transplant medicine, there has been a dramatic increase in waiting lists after the 1980-ies. At the same time, the number of organs available for transplantation does not nearly match the demand. Organ shortage has led some countries to find an alternative in living donation, but in most European countries, deceased donation is recognised as the most appropriate source of organs for transplantation. Deceased donation is primarily based on donation after brain death. It has been estimated that no more than 1% of deceased persons and no more than 3% of people who die in the hospital fall into this category (Matesanz & Dominguesz-Gil, 2007). Although the number of potential brain-dead donors is limited due to that fact, there is evidence showing that organ shortage is not primarily the result of a lack of suitable donors but, rather, the result of the failure to accurately identify them, obtain the consent, and procure the organs (Matesanz & Miranda, 2002). Partial strategies in many countries have resulted in mild or transient increases in organ donation or even no improvement at all (Hou, 2000). However, several successful models and strategies exist which can serve as guidance to countries attempting to increase their donor rates ; the “Spanish Model” is definitely one of the most widely acknowledged. Recently, Croatia has risen to a role model status which other countries might like to follow and replicate. This paper illustrates actions taken in Croatia to increase the donor rate, and highlight the great achievements that recently ranked Croatia among world leaders in organ transplantation and donorship.

donor rate, donation, transplantation, brain death, brain death cinfirmatory tests, transcranial doppler sonograpgy

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