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Description for Heart
Over 3,000 patients are currently waiting for a heart transplant in the United States. The heart can begin to fail due to disease, infection, or birth defect.
Description for Liver - Iliac Vessels
Over 16,000 patients are currently waiting for a liver transplant in the United States. The liver can begin to fail due to various diseases, including cancer and hepatitis. The Iliac vessels are veins and arteries located in the groin. They are used to help transplant the liver into a waiting recipient.
Description for Small Intestine
Over 200 patients are waiting for an intestine transplant in the United States. Intestines can begin to fail due to disease, or birth defect.
Description for Pancreas and/or Islet Cells
Over 2,000 patients are waiting for a Pancreas and/or Islet Cells which are used in a special treatment for people with insulin dependent diabetes. The Islet cells located within the pancreas are then processed and injected into a recipient. A successful pancreas or Islet Cell transplant reduces or eliminates the need for an insulin dependent diabetic to take multiple, daily insulin shots.
Description for Lungs
Over 3,900 patients are waiting for a lung transplant in the United States. Lungs can begin to fail due to diseases such as Cystic Fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension.
Description for Kidneys
Over 80,000 patients are waiting for a kidney transplant in the United States. Kidneys can begin to fail due to diseases such as diabetes or hypertension. More than 2,200 diabetics are waiting for a kidney/pancreas combination transplant
Description for Heart for Valves - Conduits - Vessels - Pericardium
Many children are born with heart valves that are damaged. Many adults develop diseased or damaged heart valves. Donated human vessels and valves are used as replacements and can mean the difference between life and death to recipients. Description for Eyes - Cornea, Whole globe, Sclera
The mission of the Oklahoma Lions Eye Bank is to retrieve, process, and distribute corneas for corneal transplant, whole globes for artificial eye transplant, sclera for ocular surgeries, and whole globes for ocular research. The Lions Eye Bank provides physicians and potential recipients throughout the state with the highest quality eye tissue. The Oklahoma Lions Eye Bank was established in 1957, and over 17,000 people have received the "gift of sight" from tissue procured and screened by Certified Eye Bank Technicians.
The first corneal transplant was performed in 1905, and is the oldest and most successful tissue transplant procedure. When the cornea (the eye's front 'windowpane') becomes cloudy, light cannot penetrate the eye to reach the light-sensitive retina. Poor vision or total blindness may result. The cloudy cornea is removed with a cylindrical cutting instrument called a trephine. The same trephine cuts out the donor cornea so the shapes are identical. The clear donor cornea is placed in the opening and sewn in place. Whole globe donation allows the Eye Bank to provide sclera, the white part of the eye, for use in patients who have had whole eye enucleation from injury or disease. When a patient's eye is removed, it maybe replaced with an implant of sclera and a natural looking prostetic designed to look like the healthy eye. The implant moves or "tracks" along with the natural eye (becoming part of the body).
Anyone can be a donor. Cataracts, poor eye sight or age would not prohibit someone from donating. Eye procurement is performed within hours of one's death, and there are no visible sign of donation after the procedure. There is no delay in funeral arrangements.
Description for Bone and Soft Tissues
The gift of bone and connective tissues helps individuals with various orthopedic and neurosurgical conditions. These tissues will be used in a variety of back, joint, and leg surgeries such as hip replacement, knee reconstruction, and spinal fusion. Your generous donation will offer children with severe fractures or bone cancer the opportunity to be kids once again. Adults with degenerative bone and joint diseases will also benefit from bone donation through increased mobility and discomfort. Approximately fifty people may benefit from the gift of bone and connective tissue. An incision is made down each leg and the long bones of the leg are removed. The fascia, tendons and ligaments, which attach bone to muscle, are also removed from the lower extremities. After the bone and soft tissues are procured, LifeShare of Oklahoma technicians replace the bone with prosthetics during reconstruction.
Description for Bone/Tissue Upper Arm
The humerus is the bone in the upper arm. An incision is made in the upper part of the arm to remove this bone. Like the bone donation of the lower extremities, a prosthetic is used to replace the bone that is recovered. Description for Skin
Skin donations may be used in several ways. For example, skin can be used to aid in the healing process for severe burn victims. These donated skin grafts will protect recipients from infection while promoting regeneration of their own skin. The gift of skin can also be used in reconstruction for victims who suffer a disfiguring injury or disease process. Skin is removed from the trunk and legs. A very thin thickness is removed with a special instrument called a Dermatome. The skin thickness removed is similar to the thickness of a sunburn peel.
Description for Saphenous & Femoral Veins
Many people lose circulation in their legs, or even in their hearts, due to disease or trauma. Donated veins are used to restore circulation in heart bypass surgeries and to avoid leg amputation for people suffering poor circulation in their legs. Veins can be removed at the same time as bone and soft tissue donation.
Description for Transplant Only
Every effort will be made to transplant your organ, eye and tissue donation to a recipient in need. However, there are some instances when a suitable recipient cannot be identified. If you choose this option, and your donated gifts cannot be transplanted, they will be destroyed.
Description for Both Transplant and Research
Every effort will be made to transplant your organ, eye and tissue donation to a recipient in need. However, there are some instances when a suitable recipient cannot be identified. If you choose this option, and your donated gifts cannot be transplanted, LifeShare of Oklahoma can place your gifts with a qualified facility that can use your donation to learn more about disease processes and treatments.
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