ADMISSION MODALITIES OF BRAIN-DEAD PATIEN TS AT PARIS-AREA HOSPITALS WHICH DO NOT HARVEST ORGANS

In order to identify possible causes for the shortage in organ procure ment today in France, a regional survey including 74 hospitals in the Paris area which are likely to receive brain dead patients (BDP) and i n which there were neither harvesting nor transplantation activities w as conducted. Of the 66 hospitals (89%) answering this survey, half of them were district general hospitals. In the 2 years before the surve y, they received on average three BDP. Such a figure represents at lea st 10% of BDP seen in this area. For one half of the centres, care of these patients was difficult or impossible due to the available facili ties. Organisational concerns were among the major problems raised by the transfer of these patients to harvesting centres. A preestablished geographical network would be of help for simplifying the transfer of these patients. Interestingly, about 50% of centres ai ready had such links with a transplantation centre. This study provides information concerning logistics and possible points which could be improved in or der to increase the number of BDP liable to be transferred to transpla ntation centres. (C) 1998 Elsevier, Paris.