DCD (Donation after Cardiac Death)

Donation after Cardiac Death (DCD) is a process where organs are donated after a person’s heart has stopped beating and they are declared dead based on the irreversible loss of cardiac function. Unlike brain death, the heart may stop due to illness but can sometimes be restarted if organs are not needed for donation. In DCD, once the heart has ceased activity and death is confirmed, practitioners quickly recover the organs for transplantation. This method helps increase the supply of available organs for patients waiting for transplants, while ensuring ethical standards are maintained.