RESUMEN
There are competing requirements between organ donation for transplantation and coronial/forensic investigation. Both require access to the body of the deceased. Optimally preserving physical evidence may reduce availability of organs for life saving transplants. Performing organ retrieval could impact on death determination and at worst could potentially interfere with criminal trial outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To summarise published literature regarding the interaction between organ donation and coronial/forensic processes. METHODS: A standard search strategy using the terms organ donation and coroner or medical examiner. RESULTS: There is a paucity of published literature. The incidence of coronial restriction of donation varies between jurisdictions and between individual practitioners. A significant number of organs are lost to transplantation through coronial restrictions. A number of strategies have been proposed to reduce the rate of coronial restrictions but implementation is inconsistent despite support from forensic professional bodies. There was no published report of a significant impact on death determination or trial outcome caused by organ retrieval. CONCLUSIONS: Increased consistency in coronial/forensic decision making and implementation of recognised strategies would increase the availability of organs for transplantation.
Asunto(s)
Médicos Forenses , Obtención de Tejidos y Órganos , Causas de Muerte , Humanos , Obtención de Tejidos y Órganos/legislación & jurisprudenciaRESUMEN
Despite increases in organ donation rates, there continue to be waiting lists for patients in urgent need of transplantation. Where a death occurs under a number of specific circumstances, donation can only proceed where a coroner consents to donation. In deaths that are reportable under the Coroners Act, concerns about compromising autopsy evidence can be barriers to gaining coronial consent for retrieval. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify the impact of organ donation, where it did occur, on coronial processes and on trial proceedings where a criminal trial ensued. Where donation was restricted by the coroner or forensic pathologist we sought to determine whether it would have affected forensic determinations. DESIGN: We retrospectively examined 177 records of reportable deaths referred for organ donation over a four year period in Queensland Australia. We also reviewed records of any criminal proceedings which were commenced in relation to these deaths. RESULTS: There were 10 cases in which the forensic pathologist recommended restrictions to organ donation with the loss of a number of organs to transplantation. There was no case where organ donation altered the outcome of criminal proceedings or significantly impacted cause of death findings. CONCLUSIONS: Organ donation, where permitted, had limited impact on autopsy evidence and any subsequent court proceedings. Where organ donation was not permitted, autopsy evidence did not significantly alter coronial findings or judicial outcomes.
Asunto(s)
Médicos Forenses , Derecho Penal , Donantes de Tejidos , Adolescente , Adulto , Anciano , Autopsia , Niño , Preescolar , Humanos , Lactante , Persona de Mediana Edad , Queensland , Estudios Retrospectivos , Obtención de Tejidos y Órganos , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
Empedobacter (formerly Wautersiella) falsenii comb. nov. strain Wf282 was isolated from a cervical neck abscess sample from an 18-year-old female patient. The isolate was resistant to many antibiotics, including meropenem and colistin. The total DNA from the multidrug-resistant E. falsenii comb. nov. Wf282 clinical isolate was sequenced.