Grand Junction Organ Recovery Done Within the Guidelines of Accepted Medical Criteria; Donor Was Legally Dead at the Time of Recovery

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 5, 2004--In this case of William Thaddeus Rardin, 31, of Montrose, Co, as disclosed in a press release issued by the Montrose County Coroner's Office, Donor Alliance followed all protocol and professional standards of conduct.

William Thaddeus Rardin's death was not caused by the removal of his organs for donation. He was declared brain dead, according to acceptable medical criteria, by a physician at St. Mary's hospital in Grand Junction prior to organ recovery.

“Donor Alliance as well as St. Mary's followed all protocol and professional standards of conduct in this case. We have on record a clearly documented note of brain death that, without question, meets the guidelines of acceptable medical criteria”

The declaration of brain death was clearly documented. Donor Alliance does not accept a case for donation unless the patient is declared dead, and the declaration of death is documented and meets acceptable medical criteria. In this case all acceptable tests for brain death were conducted. Brain death was documented and confirmed, prior to any organ recovery.

After brain death was declared the family was contacted and informed that brain death had been declared and that their loved one was on the Colorado Organ and Tissue Donor Registry. The family cooperated with Donor Alliance's coordinator and provided all the necessary medical and social information for Donor Alliance to follow through with the donation process. After Donor Alliance reviewed the brain death note and received the necessary information from the family, five organs were recovered for transplant to other patients in need.

"In order to preserve and protect the public trust in organ donation, federally designated organ procurement organizations follow policies and procedures in keeping with state law and medically accepted criteria," said Paul Schwab, president of the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations.

Donor Alliance is providing the facts in this case to assuage any concerns the public may have about the life-saving procedure of organ and tissue donation:

Case Facts:

-- Donor Alliance accepted a case at St. Mary's. When the Donor Alliance team arrived at the hospital the chart was reviewed. In the chart is a clearly documented brain death note written by a physician at St. Mary's that was within acceptable medical criteria.

-- The declaration of death was made based on clinical observations and an apnea test, which measures a person's ability to breath without mechanical support, in accordance with Colorado State Law 12-36-136.

-- The declaration of death note was reviewed and accepted by Donor Alliance it was also reviewed and accepted by three other doctors.

-- The donor was on the Colorado Donor Registry. The family was contacted about the donation and cooperated with the coordinator on the case providing information for the medical social history.

-- Donor Alliance recovered five organs: heart, liver, pancreas, and two kidneys. These organs were transplanted locally.

"Donor Alliance as well as St. Mary's followed all protocol and professional standards of conduct in this case. We have on record a clearly documented note of brain death that, without question, meets the guidelines of acceptable medical criteria," said Sue Dunn, Vice President, Donor Alliance.

Donor Alliance hosted a press conference at 2:30 pm MST to inform the public of the facts in this case. Anyone with questions or concerns about organ and tissue donation can contact D. Nikki Wheeler at Donor Alliance, 303-329-4747.