Today, medication and medical advances have resulted in transplant surgeries that are very successful, as high as 95 percent. The transplantation of vital organs has now become routine surgical operation and it is no longer experimental.

Organ donation refers to the process of removing organs or tissues from a live or recently dead person to be used in another. Liver, Kidneys, Heart, Lungs, Bone Marrow, Eyes (cornea), Pancreas, small bowel and skin can be donated. Healthy organs should be transplanted from the donor to the recipient as soon as possible after brain death of the cadaver donor. Often an Organ donation is an immediate and lasting consolation that is comforting to the family that even though their loved one has died, one or more persons can live on through their gift of life. Organ Transplant is a medical procedure in which a person's dysfunctional organ or tissue is replaced by that of a healthy person, hence restoring its function. Organs Transplants can drastically improve the quality of life of the patient and provide them another chance to live.

Most organs and tissues are donated by individuals at the time of their death. Others are donated by living donors.

Religious leaders of most denominations throughout the world favours organ and tissue donation and considers it as a greatest humanitarian act. Check with your religious leader if you are still concerned.

Anyone from a child to an elderly person can be a donor. Even in case you have had a serious illness in the past, you can still become donors given the right circumstances. Almost all the organs can be donated by someone who is dead; however, it should reach the recipient within a few hours after the donor's death. Some organs can also be donated by a living person. The blood group should be non-interfering. If the recipient is blood group 'O' then only 'O' can be a donor; if the blood group is AB then any blood group O, A, B & AB can be a donor. This is for live kidney donation

Cadaver organ donation is organ donation after death. In natural death (non-heart beating) eyes and other tissues can be donated, whereas solid organs such as liver, kidney, heart, lungs etc. can be donated in BRAIN Death (heart beating).

Livers, kidneys, bone marrow, lungs, corneas, heart valves, pancreases, tendons, bones, skin and bone marrow can all be transplanted.

Donors and their families do not have to pay for any expenses related to organ and tissue donation.

The body remains totally intact as the organ removal is a sterile surgical procedure. If desired the open casket funerals are still possible.

Brain death usually results from a brain hemorrhage or severe brain injury that causes all the brain activity to stop. It can also happen after bleeding in the brain due to a stroke or a major road accident. Brain Death and Normal Death To confirm that a patient is Brain Dead, two Doctors from a different hospital who are not involved with the patient's treatment carry out a series of tests on the patient. These doctors are chosen from a panel of doctors recommended by the Government, and adhere to very strict standards which are medically, legally and ethically accepted all over the world.

When someone is brain dead, it indicates that there is no blood flow or oxygen to their brain and that their brain is no longer functioning in any capacity and never will again. Brain death does not mean that the other organs, such as the liver, heart, or kidneys are dead, though they may still function but only for a few days due to breathing support machines. The moment their support machines are stopped they die. Since this is in the Intensive Care Units of the Hospitals, under strict controlled environment so unless damaged by injury of disease, these organs may be used by another individual through an organ transplant. The Government of India has accepted this definition of Brain Death in the year 1994 by passing Transplant Human Organ Act (THOA).

There are two different kinds of organ transplant donations: Living Donor Transplant: This is when a living person decides to donate his or her organ(s) to someone in need of a transplant. Usually the living donors are family members or close friends of the person needing a transplant and they must meet certain medical criteria. Before being accepted as suitable donors they are required to undergo comprehensive medical testing. Deceased Donor Transplant: This occurs when organs from a brain dead individual are transplanted into the body of a living recipient. In this scenario, the deceased individual can only be a victim of brain death. In this kind of transplant, the recipient needs to be on a wait list until a suitable organ is available based on the medical profile of the recipient.

1. Donor undergoes the medical tests and evaluations to check his/her medical compatibility with the recipient. 2. Donor's medical compatibility is confirmed by a doctor, only after which a transplant may take place. 3. Donor's organs are surgically retrieved and stored in special chemical solutions until transplantation is to occur. 4. Donor's body is surgically closed 5. Donor may have to stay under medical care for a few days after organ retrieval has occurred. However, living donors may only donate a limited list of organs or tissue

After pledging to become a donor, the most important thing that a donor must do is to discuss the decision with his/her family. Though the decision for organ donation is personal, however, organ and tissue donation cannot take place without the consent of the donor's family. It is also advised that the donors help their families understand the motive behind their decisions. For instance, if a donor may have been inspired by another donor's or recipient's story then he/she could narrate to his/her family and make them understand their feelings; so this can make the family to give their consent with the donor's decision.

No, not at all. As per The Transplant of Human Organs Act (THOA) 1994, commercial dealings in organs are prohibited making it a punishable offence.

Most people who have an organ transplant live a pretty normal life. However, the organ transplants can still lead to other medical problems because of the medicines required for suppressing the immune system so that it doesn't fight the donor organ. These problems include: diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, gout, gastrointestinal problems, sexual problems, unwanted hair growth, anxiety and depression.