Donor Heart Preservation at 10°C After Thoracoabdominal Normothermic Regional Perfusion Lowers Rates of Severe Primary Graft Dysfunction and Improves Recipient Transplant Outcomes.

This study compares a novel static cold storage (SCS) method using 10°C preservation to conventional ice following thoracoabdominal normothermic regional perfusion (TA-NRP) in donation after circulatory death (DCD) heart transplantation. We retrospectively analyzed adult recipients at a single center from October 2020 to October 2024, excluding congenital and multi-organ transplants. A total of 147 recipients met inclusion criteria (Ice = 96; 10°C = 51).

Rapid Recovery of Donor Hearts for Transplantation after Circulatory Death.

We report a method for the recovery of hearts for transplantation from deceased donors after circulatory death that obviates the need for thoracoabdominal normothermic regional perfusion or ex situ perfusion systems. After death, the aorta is clamped and a flush circuit is established to perform a controlled, extended, ultraoxygenated flush of the donor heart at a mean aortic-root pressure of 80 mm Hg. In the first three reported cases in which this method was used, the hearts were transplanted successfully with normal biventricular function, no evidence of acute cellular or antibody-mediated rejection, and excellent early postoperative outcomes.

Two hundred cases of cardiac donation after circulatory death utilizing normothermic regional perfusion: The 4-year Vanderbilt experience.

Objectives: Studies evaluating normothermic regional perfusion (NRP) for donation after circulatory death (DCD) heart recovery involve low volume centers or multi-center studies with wide variation in practice/technique. We sought to provide a single high-volume center's experience encompassing our program's evolution of NRP over time.

Methods: Adult DCD heart transplant patients who received cardiac allografts recovered using only thoracoabdominal NRP were retrospectively reviewed from October 2020 to November 2024.

Normothermic regional perfusion in donation after circulatory death compared with brain dead donors: Single-center cardiac allograft outcomes.

Objective: We sought to provide a single-center analysis of our normothermic regional perfusion (NRP)-recovered donation after circulatory death (DCD) heart transplant outcomes compared with a historical control group of donors of donation after brain death (DBD). We hypothesized that postoperative short-term outcomes and long-term survival trends are comparable in DCD-NRP and DBD cardiac allografts.

Methods: All adult heart-only transplants performed at our institution between January 2020 and June 2024 were retrospectively reviewed.

Direct Procurement and Perfusion Using Hypothermic Oxygenated Perfusion for DCD Cardiac Allografts in North America.

Background: Donation after circulatory death (DCD) is a viable avenue for recovery of cardiac allografts for transplantation. Previous methods have utilized direct procurement and perfusion (DPP) using commercially available normothermic perfusion systems or in situ normothermic regional perfusion. A novel portable hypothermic oxygenated perfusion device (HOPE) (XVIVO Perfusion) has been developed and is in clinical trials for preservation of cardiac allografts.

Out of the ice age: Preservation of cardiac allografts with a reusable 10 °C cooler.

Objective: Static cold storage with ice has been the mainstay of cardiac donor preservation. Early preclinical data suggest that allograft preservation at 10 °C may be beneficial. We tested this hypothesis by using a static 10 °C storage device to preserve and transport cardiac allografts.

Increasing donor heart use in cardiac transplantation.

A shortage of donor hearts remains a critical problem in cardiac transplantation, resulting in longer recipient wait times and increased wait list mortality. The disparity between available donor hearts and patients with end-stage heart failure who need transplant is expected to grow. The donor heart pool can be increased by using organs from expanded criteria, Public Health Service increased risk, hepatitis C, and donation after circulatory death donors.

An evaluation of bag-valve-mask ventilation using an ergonomically designed facemask among novice users: a simulation-based pilot study.

Purpose: We sought to compare the ability of novice operators to provide artificial ventilation using a standard facemask and a new ergonomically designed facemask. Whether or not proper technique was used was also assessed.

Methods: Thirty-two allied-health students used both masks in random crossover fashion to ventilate an airway trainer.