The tissues that can be donated are the eyes (cornea), bone, bone marrow, blood, skin, veins, and tendons/ligaments. You can, of course indicate whether you wish to donate all organs or tissues or only specific organs and tissues only or your entire body for medical research. Everyone can usually donate something, regardless of the cause of death.
Heart transplants are the third most common transplants in the United States there are over 1,500 cases per year (UNOS). A healthy heart is obtained from a donor who has suffered brain death but remains on life support. The healthy heart is transported in a special solution that preserves the organ. Lung transplant surgery is to replace one or both lungs with healthy lungs from a human donor. The tissue matches must be made to assure the patients' best chance of fighting off rejection of transplanted tissue. .
Liver transplants are new but are becoming an accepted transplant operation in the U.S. over 1,000 cases per year (UNOS). The operation is technically more difficult than a heart, or kidney transplant. The healthy liver is obtained from a donor who has recently died but has not suffered liver injury. .
Kidneys are the second most common transplant operation in the United States over 9,000 cases per year (UNOS). The operation is easier than all other major organ transplants. The patient can be treated with dialysis to filter the blood and remove fluid and waste products until kidney donor can be found.
Pancreas transplants are not very common I in the U.S. about 150 cases per year and may be done at the same time as a kidney transplant in diabetic patients. The operation is technically more difficult then a kidney or heart transplant. It's surgically to replace a diseased pancreas with a healthy pancreas from a donor.
With the advance technology and improved preservation techniques, vitals organs may be transported thousands of miles to a recipient center for transplantation.
