Table 2.1

Deceased Donor Characteristics, 1997 to 2006

Deceased Donors of Any Organ

Mechanism of Death Year
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Total 5,480 5,793 5,824 5,985 6,080 6,190 6,457 7,150 7,593 8,024
Drowning 34 63 48 40 56 41 31 61 56 66
Seizure 34 46 32 39 43 37 54 47 55 73
Drug Intoxication 47 70 65 66 84 107 138 188 158 230
Asphyxiation 128 150 153 138 148 141 120 158 175 187
Cardiovascular 234 258 310 332 382 409 503 623 732 747
Gunshot/Stab 695 635 621 612 632 608 644 670 763 738
Blunt Injury 1,685 1,709 1,653 1,760 1,718 1,805 1,792 1,910 1,963 2,110
SIDS 12 8 3 8 4 6 9 8 13 10
Intracranial Hemorrhage/Stroke 2,394 2,618 2,705 2,799 2,783 2,822 2,903 3,218 3,369 3,524
Natural Causes 2 3 20 41 62 63 93 89 84 88
Other 194 200 200 149 167 151 170 176 225 251
Unknown 21 33 14 1 1 - - 2 - -
Total (%) 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%
Drowning 0.6% 1.1% 0.8% 0.7% 0.9% 0.7% 0.5% 0.9% 0.7% 0.8%
Seizure 0.6% 0.8% 0.5% 0.7% 0.7% 0.6% 0.8% 0.7% 0.7% 0.9%
Drug Intoxication 0.9% 1.2% 1.1% 1.1% 1.4% 1.7% 2.1% 2.6% 2.1% 2.9%
Asphyxiation 2.3% 2.6% 2.6% 2.3% 2.4% 2.3% 1.9% 2.2% 2.3% 2.3%
Cardiovascular 4.3% 4.5% 5.3% 5.5% 6.3% 6.6% 7.8% 8.7% 9.6% 9.3%
Gunshot/Stab 12.7% 11.0% 10.7% 10.2% 10.4% 9.8% 10.0% 9.4% 10.0% 9.2%
Blunt Injury 30.7% 29.5% 28.4% 29.4% 28.3% 29.2% 27.8% 26.7% 25.9% 26.3%
SIDS 0.2% 0.1% 0.1% 0.1% 0.1% 0.1% 0.1% 0.1% 0.2% 0.1%
Intracranial Hemorrhage/Stroke 43.7% 45.2% 46.4% 46.8% 45.8% 45.6% 45.0% 45.0% 44.4% 43.9%
Natural Causes 0.0% 0.1% 0.3% 0.7% 1.0% 1.0% 1.4% 1.2% 1.1% 1.1%
Other 3.5% 3.5% 3.4% 2.5% 2.7% 2.4% 2.6% 2.5% 3.0% 3.1%
Unknown 0.4% 0.6% 0.2% 0.0% 0.0% - - 0.0% - -


Source: OPTN/SRTR Data as of May 1, 2007.

(%) = Percentages are calculated based on totals including missing and unknown cases.

(-) = None in category.

Includes donors of organs recovered for transplant and not used, as well as those transplanted.

Form changes on April 1, 1994 changed the way Cause of Death, Circumstance of Death, and Mechanism of Death were collected.

Not all recovered organs are actually transplanted. Data tables pertaining to the recovery and disposition of organs are presented in Section 3, Deceased Donor Organ Recovery and Disposition.