Citation

Waller JA, Haisch CE, Skelly JM. Proc. Assoc. Adv. Automot. Med. Annu. Conf. 1990; 34: 405-420.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1990, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Study of potential availability of transplantable organs from injury fatalities examined target organ damage or disease, age, duration of survival before circulatory arrest, and universal rejection factors such as sepsis, HIV infection or systemic malignancy. Motor vehicle fatalities yielded the greatest proportion of potentially viable organs. Delay in discovery and universal rejection factors were important exclusionary issues for fatalities from suicide, homicide, and non motor vehicle unintentional injury. There was no difference in organ damage or in duration of survival with higher speeds in fatal crashes, suggesting that states with 65 mph speed limits--and consequently higher death rates--may have greater potential availability of donatable organs than do those with 55 mph maximum. The increase in deaths at higher speeds, however, vastly outweighs the benefits of any possible increase in the potential for donor organs.