What is body donation? How it is different from organ donation? Dr. Aparna Patil.

 Very correctly said by Honorable Ratan Tata ,

"There is a lot of difference between  human being & being human. Very few understand it."

                      (Photo - Google) 

Friends ,

Be kind!

Recycle yourself !

Live after death ,

Donate organs !!

Organ donation & body donation are  totally different. 

In organ donation, organs are retrieved & then transplanted in other patients , suffering from end stage diseases. The dead body is then handed over to the relatives for last rites.

In body donation, whole body is donated after death. It is then used for teaching medical students, research in medical colleges. 

Anatomy is the base of medical education. Medical students gain knowledge about structure of the body, abnormalities during dissection of dead body. In the dissection hall, dead is teaching ; cadaver is the best teacher for medical education. It is also used for training post graduate doctors like neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons, ENT surgeons, transplant surgeons, spine surgeons & so on. Workshops , hands on training, pain management using various blocks, transplant training, prosthesis preparation are conducted  on cadavers. 

In today's digital world, videos, virtual dissections, audiovisuals,animation are available but  practical knowledge from dead body is extremely important. Anatomy act allows medical students to learn on unclaimed  dead bodies if  not claimed within certain stipulated time period. Medical students are administered Cadaveric oath which ensures respect to cadaver; no shares on social media, sincere use of material & knowledge. 

Voluntary body donation is very important. 

Now, the most important question that comes to our mind is.. What is the exact procedure? 

1) The person who wishes body donation must express his or her wish to nearest family members. 

2) The person & or relatives  visit the anatomy department of the medical college attached to the Municipal Or Government hospital  in your city. And fill the body donation form. 

For example.. KEM hospital, JJ hospital, Rajiv Gandhi hospital at Kalva. These hospitals have body donation committee which includes dean of medical college,  head of the Anatomy department &  social workers. Social workers guide about the procedure, requirements, etc. 

Body donation form is signed by potential donor & two first degree relatives. Their photos, Identity proofs, contact numbers are also collected. 

3)  The person is given the body donation card which includes all the details of ambulance, hearse  van, contact details of the person to be contacted in the event of death. 

Please note that, transport charges of the body to the medical college has to be borne by family members. I personally feel that this should be shared by the Government. 

If the potential donor & the relatives have followed this then in actual time of the event, it is not difficult task for the family.  Family is well aware of the process & can follow those steps to fulfill the last wish of their beloved person. 

Friends, death certificate is mandatory. Please understand that it is not mandatory for Institute to accept the body. The body donation  takes place in case of natural death. 

Body is not accepted in following conditions... 

1) Bedsores

2) Septicaemia

3) Decomposed body

4) Mutilated body

5) Autopsied body

6) Overweight body

7) presence of cancer 

8) Death due to communicable disease

9) poisoning, hanging or death involving medicolegal angle.

 When the body is received by the department, two minutes honour is given to the donor. The  body donation certificate is awarded to the relatives so that they can notify the death in Municipality. 

        Friends, I wish to insist that filling the body donation form is not compulsory but expressing your wish for body donation is of utmost importance. Without consent of the family, it is impossible. Family members must understand the process beforehand so that it becomes very easy to fulfill wish of your loved one. 

©Dr. Aparna Viraj Patil

MD ( Obstetrics and Gynaecology)

Organ donation awareness in Marathi & English

Mumbai.