What Is the Difference Between Organ Donation and Tissue Donation?

There are millions of men, women and children suffering debilitating disease that will eventually take their lives if not corrected. Organ and tissue transplant recipients see an increase in the quality of life and no longer have to live with constant stress, worry and medical procedures. Anyone is eligible to donate organs or tissue, provided they are not suffering any disease or experience physical damage too extensive for donation, but there are difference between the two donations.

What is Organ Donation?

• Organ donation is the donation of major organs for transplant to those suffering from organ failure or disease. The purpose of the transplant is to improve or save the lives of those whose own organs are failing. Becoming an organ donor requires you inform your local Department of Motor Vehicles of your decision. If you decide to donate your organs while renewing your driver's license, your new license will state your status as an organ donor on the card. If you decide to become an organ donor but do not renew your license, you will receive a card to keep in your handbag or wallet stating your status. Organs typically donated are your kidneys, liver, lungs, heart, intestines and pancreas.

What is Tissue Donation?

• Tissue donation is the donation of your tissue to those in need of tissue transplants. Tissue eligible for donation include your skin, bones and heart valves. Typically when you become an organ donor you are automatically a tissue donor. However, if you are not registered as either, the director of the funeral home or doctor in possession of your body will attempt to contact your nearest relative for permission to salvage your tissue for donation.

Do Donors Have to be Deceased to Donate?

• The major difference between tissue and organ donation is life and death. Tissue donors are deceased and organ donors can be living or brain dead, but not deceased. Doctors can take tissue from a deceased person and store it for long periods of time before using it in a transplant. Organs must be alive at the time of transplant, meaning that organ donors must be categorized as brain dead to donate complete organs because the body's blood must still be pumping upon retrieval of the organs. Some organs are eligible to donate even when the donor is still fully alive; a kidney and small parts of the lungs, liver, pancreas and intestines may be donated while the donor is still alive.

What is the Time Frame for Donation?

• The other major difference between organ and tissue donation is time frame. It does not matter how long a person is brain dead before organs are retrieved. As long as the blood in the body is still pumping and internal life is still active, donors can be brain dead for a few minutes or a few months without making a difference to the donation. Tissue donors, however, must have tissue removed no more than 24 hours after death in order to keep them fresh and eligible for transplant.