Intraoperative catecholamine release in brain-dead organ donors is not suppressed by administration of fentanyl.
OBJECTIVE
Endogenous catecholamines are released in brain-dead organ donors following painful stimulation during retrieval surgery, and might be harmful to harvested organs. Our hypothesis was that inhibition of pain by fentanyl would inhibit such catecholamine release.


METHODS
We tested 17 brain-dead organ donors in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded study. Blood samples for determination of epinephrine and norepinephrine concentrations were obtained before and 10 min after in take of either fentanyl 7 microg kg(-1) or an equivalent volume of placebo. Further points of measurement were taken after skin incision and sternotomy. Mean arterial pressure and heart rate at these points were recorded.


RESULTS
Catecholamine concentrations rose following painful stimuli. No differences in haemodynamics, between the fentanyl and the placebo group were detectable. Epinephrine concentrations, but not those of norepinephrine, were higher in the fentanyl group, reaching significance following sternotomy.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that the use of fentanyl (7 microg kg(-1)) was not effective in suppressing the catecholamine release, following painful surgical stimulation in brain-dead organ donors.
Fitzgerald
R D
RD
Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Economics of Medicine in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Vienna, Austria. robert.fitzgerald@khl.magwien.gv.at
Hieber
C
C
Schweitzer
E
E
Luo
A
A
Oczenski
W
W
Lackner
F X
FX
D000328:Adult; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001926:Brain Death / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood*; D005283:Fentanyl / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D008875:Middle Aged; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood*; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013249:Sternum / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors; D014019:Tissue Donors; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D005283:Fentanyl; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine