Non-heartbeating donors, is it worthwhile?
In view of the shortage of cadaveric organ donors a retrospective study has been performed to determine the results of transplantation of non-heartbeating donor kidneys. Graft and patient survival and renal function in the 60 cases analysed in this study, showed no adverse effect of the use of non-heartbeating donor kidneys. The initial graft function was best after in situ cooling of the kidneys, using an intra-aortic double balloon catheter, followed by machine preservation. It is concluded that nephrectomy of non-heartbeating donors is worthwhile and that these donors should be included in all organ harvesting programmes.
D002102:Cadaver; D003404:Creatinine / Q000378:metabolism; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D009926:Organ Preservation; D014019:Tissue Donors; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D003404:Creatinine