General
gpo
What does gpo mean?
Brutal trauma-bay acronym for a patient whose neurological prognosis is hopeless but whose organs are intact and transplant-viable. Sits in the same dark register as 'donorcycle' — staff use it to compartmentalise rather than to be cruel.
"Head CT's a disaster — looks like a GPO, transplant team's been notified."
Origin
American trauma and ICU slang, documented in medical-slang glossaries from the 1990s onward.
Frequently asked questions
What does GPO stand for in medical slang?
GPO stands for "Good for Parts Only" — the patient who isn't going to make it but could save several others through organ donation.
How do you use GPO in a sentence?
"Sadly he's a GPO at this point."
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