Direct Procurement of Donor Heart With Normothermic Regional Perfusion of Abdominal Organs

Abstract

Purpose: We wanted to evaluate if direct procurement of the heart is possible in combination with normothermic regional perfusion of abdominal organs in donors after circulatory death.

Description: A donation after circulatory death pathway was used for a 41-year-old woman after an irreversible brain injury. After meeting criteria for the organ donation, the heart was retrieved and re-animated on ex situ perfusion system, and abdominal organs were perfused with normothermic regional perfusion.

Evaluation: All the donated organs and their recipients had excellent short-term outcome.

Conclusions: We demonstrated a successful combination of direct procurement of the heart and normothermic regional perfusion of the abdominal organs.