The determination of brain death must be made by physicians who are not involved in the organ donation process. Once a potential organ donor is identified by hospital staff and brain death is imminent or present, an organ procurement organization is contacted. The procurement organization is consulted about donor acceptability and often asked to talk with families to seek consent for donation. The most closely matched recipient is identified. Organs go to those recipients with the most critical need and who most closely match the characteristics of the organ donor.
Preference is given to recipients from the same area as the donor.
Timing is a critical element in the organ procurement process. Hearts can last only 4 to 7 hours, kidneys for 72 hours. Lungs cannot be preserved outside the body for any extended period of time. A serious shortage of donated organs and tissues prevents many transplants from being performed. Potential tissue donors can be persons who have died from any cause except cancer, infection or from a rare disease.