Nonheartbeating cadaveric organ donation.
OBJECTIVE
The authors evaluated the potential use of nonheartbeating (NHB) cadaver donors as an additional source to the current supply of brain-dead cadaver donors.


BACKGROUND
The numbers of cadaveric donors has not increased significantly during the last 5 years, despite a rising need for transplantable organs. Any improvement in cadaveric organ procurement will depend on the use of previously unrecognized potential donors.


METHODS
During a 2-year period, 24 kidneys were retrieved from 12 NHB donors. Nineteen kidneys were transplanted.


RESULTS
These kidneys sustained a mean warm ischemia time of 26 minutes (range 20-35 min). A mean lowest creatinine level of 2.0 mg/dL, (range 1.1-3.0 mg/dL), the rate of postoperative dialysis (22%), and a 1-year graft survival rate of 76% for kidneys from NHB-donated kidneys compare favorably to expected results achieved nationally from brain-dead cadaveric donors.


CONCLUSIONS
Nonheartbeating donor kidneys can yield acceptable graft function and be of no disadvantage to recipients of cadaver transplants.
Orloff
M S
MS
Department of Surgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, New York 14642-8410.
Reed
A I
AI
Erturk
E
E
Kruk
R A
RA
Paprocki
S A
SA
Cimbalo
S C
SC
Cerilli
G J
GJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001926:Brain Death; D002102:Cadaver; D002648:Child; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000379:methods / Q000502:physiology; D011182:Postoperative Care; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D015996:Survival Rate; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000600:supply & distribution; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000379:methods*