Organ Transplantation Center Introduction

The Organ Transplant Center performs organ transplants for patients with chronic organ diseases which cannot be treated otherwise. It began kidney transplants in 1989 and liver transplants in 1999 and since then, Having begun liver transplantation in 1999, the Center has managed to perform a total of 527 kidney transplants and 100 liver transplants as of October 2018. The Center has also been performing blood group-incompatible organ transplantation since 2014.
The center began taking care of patients in irreversible comas in 2008. In 2005, it was designated as an official institution for making determinations on patients who may be in irreversible comas. It is making active efforts to promote organ donation and transplantation.

Objectives

The Organ Transplant Center offers outstanding medical services and techniques to treat patients with chronic diseases. Its promotional and educational activities aim to spread awareness of the importance of organ donation. It manages the diagnosis of and takes care of patients in irreversible comas to promote organ donation in hospitals.

Organization

The Organ Transplant Center consists of the transplant teams including the Liver Transplant Team, Kidney Transplant Team and Cornea Transplant Team, joint research team and organ transplant coordinators working together to treat patients and conduct studies for the promotion of organ transplantation.

Duties

The center duties include establishing policies and plans related to organ transplantation; collecting and providing information; managing registered organ donors and organ receivers; approving organ transplants; deliberating on ethical, legal and social issues to do with organ transplantation; diagnosing irreversible comas; and promoting organ donation and transplantation.

Information on the Center

Director: Professor Lee, Sik (Nephrology Department)

Medical Department

• Hepatopancreaticobiliary Transplant Surgery Department: Professors Yoo, Hee-Cheol; Yang, Jae-Do; Hwang, Hong-Pil
• Nephrology Department: Professors Park, Seong-Gwang and Lee, Sik

Organ transplant coordinator (specialist nurse): Seong, Sook and Lee, Seon-Myeong

Tel. No.: 063) 250-2232

Location: 3rd Fl. of the New Bldg. of Emergency Medical Center

Organ Donation

Jeonbuk National University Hospital has been putting in utmost and assertive efforts to activate the management of and organ donation by brain-dead patients since 1998. As of the end of 2016, more than 190 brain-dead patients decided to donate their organs after they pass away at the Jeonbuk National University Hospital. Through their noble sacrifices, many recipients were able to live new lives. The Jeonbuk National University Hospital is putting in utmost efforts in order to ensure that the noble intentions of the patients and their families who want to donate organ are realized by establishing contact system for notifying the Organ Transplant Center of the Hospital in the event of occurrence of potential brain-dead patients at a hospital within the region.
In addition, the Organ Transplant Center of the Jeonbuk National University Hospital is maintaining the highest level of transplant surgery performances and results along all the hospitals in the Chungcheong and Honam regions. Total of more than 460 cases of kidney transplant was performed since 1989 and liver transplant that began since 1999 was executed in earnest since 2005, reaching approximately 100-case mark as at the end of October 2018. Furthermore, the Hospital was the first among the medical institutions in the Province to successfully complete blood group incompatible kidney transplant in September 2014.
As the results of having pursued assertive activities after having been designated as an institution specializing in the management of the subjects determined to be brain-dead in 2005, the Hospital received citation by the Minister of Health & Welfare of Korea in 2009 with full recognition of the contributions made towards activation of organ donation and transplant. Moreover, the Hospital received citation by the Minister of Health & Welfare of Korea in 2012 for the contributions made towards search for brain-dead donors and proliferation of organ donation culture.

Current status of organ donation by brain-dead patients at the Jeonbuk National University Hospital (Table)

Tasks of the Organ Transplant Center

• Collection and provision of information related to organ donation and transplant
• Consultation and registration of organ donation by brain-dead patient after death
• Determination of brain-death and management of brain-dead patients
• Consultation, registration and management of patients on waiting list for transplant for each organ
• Consultation, approval and preparations for procedures involved in bio-organ transplant
• Coordination of ethical, social, legal and administrative issues related to organ transplant
• Promotional activities related to organ donation
• Cooperation with other hospitals and transplant related organizations
• Management and education for transplant patients after the transplant

Organ donation can be classified into bio-organ donation, organ donation at the time of brain-death and donation after death, etc.

• Bio-organ donation : Can donate kidney and portion of liver
• Organ donation at the time of brain-death : Can donate depending on the functions of the organs (kidney, liver, heart, lung, pancreas, pancreatic duct, small intestine, cornea and tissues, etc.)
• Donation after death : Can donate eyeball, cardiac valve and bone, etc. (For donation of corpse after death, inquire with the Anatomy Department of the Medical College of the University)

Registration of those wishing to donate organ

Registration of the desire for organ donation refers to pledging of making organ donation in advance if one becomes brain-dead in the future. Registration of the desire for organ donation can be made only if the person has intention to donate in the case of adults. Such registration will be made by personally filling in and signing the application for registration of the desire for organ donation, and also signing the informed consent letter for the collection and utilization of personal information. However, in the case of minor under the age of 20 years, consent of the legal representative such as parents is necessary in the registration application with attachment of the document to prove the status of the legal representative (certified copy of resident registration and family register, etc.). At the time of application for registration of the desire for organ donation, the National Organ Transplant Center will issue and forward the registration card for the desire to donate organ through postage mail.

• Personally fill up the application form by visiting the Organ Transplant Center of our hospital
• Fill up the application form for organ donation registration and file it with the Hospital through postage mail or fax
  • Address: Organ Transplant Center, 3rd Fl., New Bldg. of Emergency Medical Center of Jeonbuk National University Hospital, #20 Geonji-ro, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk (54907)
  • Fax: 063) 250-2460
• Register by accessing the National Organ Transplant Center through internet(http://www.konos.go.kr)

Bio-organ donation

In order to undergo bio-transplant surgery, the donor needs to visit the Organ Transplant Center and listen to the explanations on the procedure by the coordinator after consultation on the transplant surgery at the corresponding medical department by the specialist. Then, the prospective donor will undergo confirmation of whether the organ can be donated through examination at the corresponding medical department. If surgery is possible as the results of examination, approval of the Korean Network for Organ Sharing (KONOS) for the surgery must be acquired through review of the documents and genuine intention assessment consultation by social worker for the approval of the transplant. In the event of bio-organ transplant between strangers, additional document and procedure for confirmation of the relationship between the donor and recipient can be required.

Organ donation by brain-dead patients

Brain-death refers to irrevocable physical condition in which a person loses consciousness due to the loss of all capabilities arising from disability in brain functions caused by certain disease or trauma. Accordingly, the person will become unconscious and unable to breathe on one's own. Although it is possible to maintain heartbeat, body temperature, breathing and blood pressure by using artificial respirator temporarily, the body condition cannot be restored regardless of any available treatments. Within several days or 2 weeks at the best, various organs including kidney, liver and pancreas fail to function normally, thereby resulting in heart failure and cardiac death ultimately.
Patient in vegetative state who appears similar outwardly is able to breathe voluntarily without the aid of artificial respirator since the brain stem in charge of vital center is alive and functions normally even though the brain tissues are damages broadly and the cerebral functions have ceased. Patients in vegetative state can voluntarily open eyes, make sounds and move arms and legs slightly when stimulated. Since patient in vegetative state are in conditions with the possibility of recovery within several months or years, unlike the conditions of brain-death, and organ donation cannot be made under no circumstance whatsoever.
Since February 2000, brain-death is recognized as being dead and organs can be donated before their conditions are further degraded. Organs that can be donated include heart, lung, liver, kidney, pancreas, eyeball, bone and tissues, etc. At the time of brain-death, organ donation is a noble deed that can offer opportunity to patients suffering from chronic diseases to lead new life.
If the patient presumed to be a potentially brain dead and his/her guardian wishes to donate organ, application can be made to the Organ Transplant Center of our hospital. The conditions of the patient will be assessed and transferred to the intensive care unit of our hospital with the consent of the guardian with priority legal status for determination of the condition as brain-death in accordance with the law and donation of the organs by undergoing procedures for the management of brain-dead patients.