Simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplantation from organ donation after cardiac death.
BACKGROUND
The concept of organ donation after cardiac death (DCD) historically precedes the current practice of organ procurement from heartbeating donors meeting the brainstem death criteria. DCD has not gained widespread interest, however, due partly to initial fears that transplantation of such organs leads to suboptimal outcome.


METHODS
Available data on long-term outcomes following simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplant (SPK) from DCD donors were reviewed, and it was found that the long-term outcome is comparable to SPK from heartbeating donors. Australia's first SPK from a DCD donor was performed.


RESULTS
The patient received a kidney and a pancreas from a young healthy donor after cardiac death, and at the time of writing was well with functioning grafts.


CONCLUSIONS
SPK from donation after cardiac death is safe and should continue to be available for patients in need.
National Pancreas Transplant Unit, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. nancysuh@hotmail.com
Nancy
N
Suh
Brendan
B
Ryan
Richard
R
Allen
Philip
P
O'Connell
Henry
H
Pleass
D000293:Adolescent; D003643:Death; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D016035:Pancreas Transplantation