What Every Patient Needs to Know - UMC

Model for End-Stage Liver Disease(MELD)/Pediatric End-Stage Liver Disease(PELD) ScoreA numerical scale ranging from six (less ill) to 40(gravely ill) that is used for adult liver transplantcandidates. It gives each individual a score (number)based on how urgently he or she needs a livertransplant within the next three months. The numberis calculated by a formula using three routinelaboratory test results.Candidates under the age of 18 are placed incategories according to the Pediatric End-StageLiver Disease (PELD) scoring system. PELD replacedthe previous Status 2B and 3 for pediatric patients;Status 1 remains in place and is not affected byPELD. PELD is similar to MELD but uses somedifferent criteria to recognize the specific growthand development needs of children. PELD scoresmay also range higher or lower than MELD scores.Multiple ListingBeing on the waiting list for the same organ at morethan one transplant center.National Organ Transplant Act (NOTA)The National Organ Transplant Act, passed by Congressin 1984, outlawed the sale of human organs andbegan the development of a national system for organsharing and a scientific registry to collect and reporttransplant data.Organ and Tissue ProcurementRecovery of organs and tissues for transplantation.Organ PreservationDonated organs require special methods of preservationto keep them healthy between the time of procurementand transplantation. Without preservation, the organwill die.The length of time organs and tissues can be keptoutside the body varies depending on the organ, thetype of preservation used, and the storage temperature.Organ Preservation Times:• Heart: 4 – 6 hours• Liver: 8 – 12 hours• Kidney: 24 – 28 hours• Heart-lung: 4 – 6 hours• Lung: 4 – 6 hours• Pancreas: 12 – 18 hoursOrgan Procurement and TransplantationNetwork (OPTN)In 1984, Congress passed the National OrganTransplant Act that mandated the establishmentand operation of a national Organ Procurement andTransplantation Network (OPTN). It also called forthe establishment of a scientific registry of patientsreceiving organ transplants. The purpose of theOPTN is to manage the nation’s organ procurement,donation, and transplantation system and toincrease the availability of and access to donororgans for patients with end-stage organ failure.Members of the OPTN include all U.S. transplantcenters, organ procurement organizations (OPOs),histocompatibility laboratories, voluntary health careorganizations, medical and scientific organizations,and members of the general public. UNOS establishedthe OPTN in 1986 under contract with the HealthResources and Services Administration (HRSA) ofthe U.S. Department of Health and Human Services(HHS) and has operated it continually since that timeunder contracts with HRSA.Organ Procurement Organization (OPO)The organization responsible for the recovery,preservation, and transportation of organs fortransplantation. As a resource to their communities,OPOs educate the public about the critical need fororgan donation. Currently, there are 58 OPOs aroundthe country, and all are UNOS members.Organ Procurement Organization (OPO)Donation Service AreaEach OPO provides its services to the transplantprograms in its area. An OPO’s donation service areacan include a portion of a city, a portion of a state oran entire state, or more than one state.Presently, when most organs become available, a listof candidates is generated from the OPO’s local servicearea. If a patient match is not made in that localarea, a wider, regional list of potential candidates isgenerated, followed by a national list.47