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.
Australian National Liver Transplantation Unit, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW.
J F
JF
Thompson
S C
SC
Liew
A K
AK
Chui
G A
GA
Kyd
P M
PM
Dolan
A
A
Shun
A G
AG
Sheil
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