臓器提供における救急医の果たすべき役割

Although the organ transplantation under the brain death has become possible in Japaneselaw since 1997, only the organ donation of 70 cases has been performed in the past 10 years in ourcountry. What is the reason why the number of organ transplantation in brain-dead patients hasnot increased in Japan? One of the reasons is that Japanese emergency physicians should domany complicated formalities for the declaration of brain death more than the emergency physiciansof the United States and Europe. Therefore, they have avoided telling the suggestion of theorgan donation to brain-dead patient’s family in their daily works. However, to increase the organtransplantation in our country, it is the most important thing for emergency physicians shouldrecognize the organ transplantation profoundly, and should perform the declaration of brain deathpositively in any brain-dead cases.