Psychiatric Aspects of Organ Transplantation

Abstract

ABSTRACTSurgical transplantation of human organs from deceased as well as living donors to sick anddying patients began after the Second World War. Over the past 50 years the transplantationof human organs, tissues and cells has become a worldwide practice which has extended, andgreatly enhanced the quality of hundreds of thousands of lives. The field of transplantationmedicine provides an important chance for liaison between psychiatric professionals and othertransplant physicians and surgeons. The discrepancy between the ever-increasing demand fororgans but the decreasing supply makes it important to evaluate and prioritize individuals whoare in dire need of the organ. However, this also gives rise to certain ethical questions. The followingpaper discusses various psychiatric aspects of organ transplantation in general.

Keywords

• Organ transplantation
• Donor
• Recipient
• Psychiatric aspects
• Organs