Considerations for Organ Placement

Depending on the organ, certain cells and associated functions either develop or deteriorate with age, thus restricting certain organ placements for research. Other clinical and social factors are screened as well to ensure the organ is best suited for the intended purpose in medical research.

Blood gases, enzyme levels and electrolytes are reviewed to ascertain organ function. Ventilator time is also considered since this affects risk of infection along with certain functions of the lung, pancreas, liver, and intestine and determines if the organ will be viable for research studies.

We do our best to ensure our researchers are working with non-infectious tissue. Unless otherwise requested, IIAM declines donor organs that are positive for viral infections including HIV and Hepatitis. Certain other systemic infections such as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) are also often a medical rule out.

Researchers look for disease states, or lack thereof, to study the physiological and other clinical pathways of various disorders.

After prolonged ischemia, there is evidence of cell deterioration impacting organ viability.

Excessive visual and microscopic steatosis (fat content) or other biopsy results showing disease states such as fibrosis, necrosis, stenosis and cirrhosis are deterrents for researchers looking to work with viable tissue.