Effects of modification of the allocation system on ischemia duration and costs of heart transplantation. Transplantation Cooperation UNI-NRW.
BACKGROUND
In order to optimize regional utilization of transplantable thoracic organs, the seven university hospitals in North-Rhine-Westfalia have formed a transplant cooperation meanwhile approved by Eurotransplant.


METHODS
Heart transplant and organ donation activities of the cooperating hospitals in the year before the foundation of the cooperation (period A, 7/95 - 6/96) and in the year thereafter (period B, 7/96 - 6/97) were retrospectively analysed.


RESULTS
In period A, a total of 39 heart transplants and 74 heart donations were performed, whereas in period B 67 heart transplantations and 78 heart donations could be achieved. The regional utilization of the donor organs increased from 4% to 30% with a significantly shorter ischemia time of regionally or locally allocated donor hearts than of nationally or internationally allocated ones.


CONCLUSIONS
A high rate of regional or local heart transplant procedures with short ischemia times clearly demonstrate the benefits of a regionalization of heart transplant medicine for medical as well as economical reasons.
Petzold
T
T
Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Feindt
P R
PR
Kalweit
G
G
Deng
M C
MC
Schmid
C
C
Fritz
M
M
Preusse
C
C
Schönfelder
B
B
Kuhn-Regnier
F
F
Schöndube
F
F
Gams
E
E
D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005858:Germany; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics*; D009926:Organ Preservation / Q000191:economics*; D012041:Regional Medical Programs / Q000191:economics*; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000191:economics*