Critical Pathways of Deceased Organ Donation in Saudi Arabia: A 2 decade in comparison: 1997‐2006 vs. 2007‐2016

OBJECTIVEOrgan transplantation is the best existing method for the treatment of end-stage organ failure. However, the need for viable organ supply limits its progress; thus, we studied the algorithm of process for deceased heart beating donors with the rate of adapting the critical pathways of organ donation from possible to potential to eligible to consent and to actual deceased donors (DD) in the kingdom. METHODSA retrospective study comparing the nationwide figures and composition of the Critical Pathway of DD cases for 20 years from 1997‐2006 compared with 2007‐2016 of the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation (SCOT). RESULTSThe study showed a remarkable increase in the total number of possible DD cases from 3884 of 1997‐2006 to 5881 (+51%) of 2007‐2016. The mean possible case per year in relation to the number of population for the first half of the 20-year period is 17.8 pmp as compared to 20.7 pmp on the latter. The rate of conversion from possible to potential is 60% (2366 and 3489 respectively). Moreover, eligible donors ascend its number from 2030 to 2814 (+38.6%) of which, 587 (28.9% with 2.69 pmp) and 976 (34.7% with 3.4 pmp) respectively were consented for organ donation. The actual DD for the year 1997‐2006 was 538 and 856 (+59.1%) for the year 2007‐2016. In relation to the actual DD cases, there was a significant increase and almost doubled (98.9%) the total number of organs transplanted, from 1162 to 2113 and in addition, there was an increase of 32.3% (628 and 831 respectively) with the tissues recovered alongside during the retrieval of DD cases. CONCLUSIONThere is a notable increase in the number of possible DD reported and consented in the second half of the decade. There was also a significant increase in the actual DD. In relation to this, the various strategies being implemented to promote organ donation in every region of the kingdom are relatively effective in applying the critical pathways of deceased organ donation.