Retrieval of organs for transplantation: experience of the Australian National Liver Transplantation Unit.
The Australian National Liver Transplantation Unit carried out 251 multiple organ-retrieval procedures between January 1986 and December 1994: 53% were in the Sydney metropolitan area, 22% in country New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, 21% interstate and 4% in New Zealand; mean total procurement times were, respectively, 4 hours 57 minutes, 6 hours 58 minutes, 9 hours 20 minutes and 12 hours 20 minutes. Donor operation times steadily decreased over the nine years. One-year patient and graft survival rates were 77.1% and 70.3%, respectively; primary non-function occurred in only one case. The importance of coordination of donor organ procurement and efficient organ retrieval to the success of transplantation programs is discussed.
Thompson
J F
JF
Australian National Liver Transplantation Unit, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW.
Liew
S C
SC
Chui
A K
AK
Kyd
G A
GA
Dolan
P M
PM
Shun
A
A
Sheil
A G
AG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D002102:Cadaver; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014195:Travel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016896:Treatment Outcome