CORNEAL HARVESTING AND NOTIFICATION STATISTICS

Abstract

The collection of corneas in Brazil is regulated by laws and standards that ensure the ethics and safety of the donation process, in accordance with Law No. 9.434/1997 and Resolution No. 1.480/97 from the Federal Council of Medicine. This study aimed to map the notifications and reasons for exclusion in obtaining corneas from an eye bank in a city in the southern part of the State of Rio de Janeiro in 2023. A quantitative methodology was employed, analyzing statistical data from 1,600 death notifications using Excel® for data organization. The results revealed that exclusions were predominantly by age group, with 455 cases, and clinical contraindications, with 422 cases, with sepsis being the third leading cause of exclusion, totaling 369 records. The data indicate that awareness of ocular tissue donation and family resistance are critical factors affecting collection rates. It concludes that there is an urgent public need for educational campaigns and more effective policies to improve cornea donation in the country. Enhancing nurse training and ongoing education for other professionals can increase the eligibility of potential donors, thereby contributing to improved collection rates.