In almost all cases resulting in organ donation, the patient has suffered a traumatic brain injury and brain death. After all life-saving efforts have been exhausted, and it is determined that the patient’s death is imminent, the patient must remain on ventilator support. The reason for this is the heart and lungs must continue to function after the patient dies so that the transplantable organs continue to function. Once the heart stops beating, organs begin to shut down, limiting their viability for life-saving transplantation.