NONHEARTBEATING CADAVERIC ORGAN DONATION

Objective The authors evaluated the potential use of nonheartbeating ( NHB) cadaver donors as an additional source to the current supply of b rain-dead cadaver donors. Summary Background Data The numbers of cadav eric donors has not increased significantly during the last 5 years, d espite a rising need for transplantable organs. Any improvement in cad averic organ procurement will depend on the use of previously unrecogn ized potential donors. Methods During a 2-year period, 24 kidneys were retrieved from 12 NHB donors. Nineteen kidneys were transplanted. Res ults These kidneys sustained a mean warm ischemia time of 26 minutes ( range 20-35 min). A mean lowest creatinine level of 2.0 mg/dL, (range 1.1-3.0 mg/dL), the rate of postoperative dialysis (22%), and a 1-year graft survival rate of 76% for kidneys from NHB-donated kidneys compa re favorably to expected results achieved nationally from brain-dead c adaveric donors. Conclusions Nonheartbeating donor kidneys can yield a cceptable graft function and be of no disadvantage to recipients of ca daver transplants.