A natural resource. Prevalence of cadaver organs for transplantation and research.

To determine the prevalence of potential cadaver kidney, eye, and research-tissue donors in a tertiary referral hospital, the charts of 718 patients who died were studied. We found a potential kidney-donor rate of 2.4 per 100 hospital deaths, a potential eye-donor rate of 45.4 per 100 deaths, and a potential pancreas-donor rate of 26.5 per 100 deaths. In the study year, 20 potential cadaver kidney donors were projected, theoretically meeting the needs of the transplantation center. Recognized potential eye and pancreas donors were remarkably numerous. Effective education, surveillance, and procurement programs are necessary to salvage these potential donor tissues.