Donor Evaluation Protocol
Turkish Ministry of Health allows living organ donation from the first
to fourth relatives of the recipient. Any relative beyond the fourth
degree or non-next of kin donor (samaritan donors) are evaluated by the
state ethic committee in order to rule out commercial organ donation.
Our detailed donor evaluation scheme and information regarding our
aborted donor hepatectomies were emphasized in a recent study from our
institute. 4 Currently, LLDs are chosen among
individuals aged between 18 to 60 years of age with normal renal and
liver functions. However, in the early years of our experience, donors ≥
60 years old were used. The individuals must also have negative viral
serology (except for those individuals that have antibody against the
hepatitis B core antigen) and matched blood group compatible. We
routinely perform multi-detector computerized tomography to determine
the volume of the graft and the future remnant liver, to delineate the
vascular anatomy of the intended vascular graft. Also, we routinely
perform magnetic resonance assisted cholangiography and dynamic magnetic
resonance imaging to evaluate the biliary anatomy and the quality of the
liver parenchyma.