Once I worked in a small lab. The pathologist was also the county coroner. I know he took the pituitary gland out of the deceased person and put it in a small cup in the refrigerator. He stated it was to get growth hormone to give to people who were dwarfs. Did I get that right? I though it was illegal to do something like this if the person or the family did not consent to a donation of tissue. I have asked family members if they wanted to donate tissue or organs for transplant. It is really hard to do because the family is grieving about the death and you are asking for a favor. I know that the death of their loved one is helping maybe several people but it is still hard for the health care worker. It is amazing what a donated cornea can do to help two people who were blind. The problem is the total eye needs to be enucleated but the harvester is careful to replace the eye with a small ball and I could not tell the difference before and after.
tags
forensic nursing chronicles
forensic nursing
Tissue Donation
Forensic Nursing Chronicles 