title: Nonheartbeating cadaveric organ donation.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, New York 14642-8410.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Orloff
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Erturk
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Kruk
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Paprocki
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Cimbalo
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Cerilli
mesh_terms: 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*