ABSTRACT
It is uncommon for staff in A&E departments to become directly involved with the issue of organ donation. The majority of tissues and organs that are currently suitable for transplantation must be harvested from heart beating cadaveric donors because they tolerate periods of warm ischaemia poorly. Some tissues may however be harvested from non-heart beating cadaveric donors up to 72 hours after death, e.g. heart valves, skin and bone. In the majority of patients dying in or shortly after admission from the A&E department the Coroner should be consulted before the matter of transplantation is discussed with the relatives.
