Solid Organ Transplantation: An Ethical Dilemma – Case Report

Abstract

The shortage of cadaveric organ donors continues to be a major problem for solid organ transplantation in Turkey as well as across the world. Due to this shortage, the use of marginal and expanded criteria donors has become a current issue to increase the number of transplantation and to decrease waitlist mortality rates. The use of organs of marginal donors with a history of or active central nervous system tumor has been one possible solution to increase the number of donors in organ transplantation. While this is a lifesaving practice for waitlist patients, it constitutes a risk of malignancy originating from donors. This is an important issue that should be discussed in the field of transplantation and ethics. This case study aims to discuss an ethical dilemma of liver transplantation from a donor with a history of central nervous system tumor to a patient in need of emergency liver transplantation. It is considered that the decision-making process for the use of marginal donor grafts in solid organ transplantation should be managed in accordance with ethical principles.