Life expectancy for 965 people in Costa Rica depends on a compatible organ donation.
According to the to the Programa Institucional de Donación y Trasplante de Órganos, Tejidos y Células de la Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS), Dr. Marvin Agüero, patients on the waiting list have met certain specific requirements for a transplant and rehabilitation.
Among the considerations is essential that a patient has a terminal organ failure and life expectancy is subject to a replacement organ or tissue.
“Transplantation is a treatment, not a cure for the disease”, says Dr. Agüero.
According to the CCSS, there are six types of organs and tissue high on demand. Corneas tops the list with 640 patients on the waiting list; kidneys with 195 and liver with 125. Three people are waiting for a new heart, one a lung and another a small bowel.
The waiting time depends on donation support and match.
According to CCSS statistics, the majority of organs used in transplants at public hospitals are donations from victims of traffic accidents who have registered as donors or voluntary donations from family or friends of the patient. In 2012, the CCSS reported 454 organ transplants.
Souce: CRhoy.com, CCSS
