The status of cadaveric organ donation for liver transplantation in Saudi Arabia

OBJECTIVE: Over the past 2 decades, liver transplantation has became the standard treatment of end stage liver disease. Organ shortage has been the main hindrance against the progress of liver transplantation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This paper reports the status of organ donation for liver transplantation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and highlights the problems and the suggested solutions in relation to organ shortage.

METHODS: All donors reported to the liver transplant program at the King Fahad National Guard Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from the Saudi Center of Organ Transplantation from January 1994 through to June 1998 was retrospectively analyzed. Clinical and laboratory data were evaluated to decide on the suitability of organs for liver transplantation.

RESULTS: Out of 216 donor offers only 100 were harvested and utilized (46%). Out of the remaining 116, 8 donors were declined based on bad clinical and laboratory data and the remaining 36 donors' livers were harvested but not used based on abnormal liver histology. This resulted in discarding more than 50% of the offered donors. The main reasons were related to poor donor maintenance and logistical delay.

CONCLUSION: The number and quality of organs offered for liver transplantation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia over the past 6 years has been deteriorating with a negative impact on the liver transplant programs. Adopting new strategies is required to support the donor program in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is proposed that establishment of donor promotion offices in major hospitals can change the dismal picture of organ donation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia even at the current consent rate by better utilization of the available donors.