Early results of a controlled non-heart-beating kidney donor programme

Ethical Issues Related to Donation and Transplantation of Donation After Circulatory Determination of Death Donors

With the continuing disparity between organ supply to match the increasing demand for kidney transplants in patients with renal failure, donation after the circulatory determination of death (DCDD) has become an important and increasing global source of kidneys for clinical use. The concern that the outcomes of controlled DCDD donor kidney transplants were inferior to those obtained from donors declared dead by neurologic criteria has largely diminished because large-scale registry and single-center reports consistently have reported favorable outcomes. For uncontrolled DCDD kidney transplants, outcomes are correspondingly acceptable, although there is a greater risk of primary nonfunction. The potential of DCDD remains unrealized in many countries because of the ethical concerns and resource implications in the utilization of these donor kidneys for transplantation. In this review, we discuss the origin and definitions of DCDD donors, and examine the long-term outcomes of transplants from DCDD donor kidneys. We discuss the controversies, challenges, and ethical and legal barriers in the acceptance of DCDD, including the complexities of implementing and sustaining controlled and uncontrolled DCDD donor programs. The lessons learned from global leaders will assist a wider international recognition, acceptance, and development of DCDD transplant programs that will noticeably facilitate and address the global shortages of kidneys for transplantation, and ensure the opportunity for people who had indicated their desires to become organ donors fulfill their final wishes.

The Future Direction of the Organ Donation System After Legislation of the Life-Sustaining Treatment Decision Act

Background

The transplant community is seeking ways to encourage organ donation after cardiac arrest to solve the problem of the insufficiency of organs available for the increasing number of people awaiting transplantation. This study aimed to determine whether the life-sustaining treatment (LST) decision system, implemented in Korea on February 4, 2018, can address the shortage of organ donations.

Material/Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of the 442 patients who had filled out forms for the LST decision at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital from April 2018 to December 2019, and classified the eligibility of organ and tissue donation according to the Korean Organ Donation Agency criteria.

Results

We included 442 patients in this study. Among them, 238 (53.8%) were men, and 204 (46.2%) were women. The average age of the patients was 71.8 years (the youngest and oldest were aged 23 years and 103 years, respectively). Of these, 110 patients (24.9%) decided on their own to discontinue LST, whereas 332 (75.1%) decided to discontinue with their family’s consent. This study demonstrated that 50% of patients who were not brain-dead and discontinued LST were eligible for organ donation. However, the patients and caregivers were not aware of this option because the current law does not allow the discussion of such donations.

Conclusions

A discussion regarding donation after circulatory death is recommended to solve the problem of insufficient organ donation.

Donation after cardiac death kidneys are suitable for pediatric recipients

Despite the high number of children listed for kidney transplantation and shortage of deceased organ donors, there is reluctance to utilize DCD kidneys in pediatric recipients. We examined outcomes in pediatric kidney transplant patients who received a DCD kidney allograft. UNOS database was queried to examine outcomes in all pediatric kidney transplant recipients from 1994 to 2017. Pediatric status was defined as <18 years at the time of transplantation. Recipients were divided by DBD or DCD allograft status. Donor and recipient demographic data were examined. Patient and allograft survival was calculated, and Kaplan-Meier survival curves were generated. A P-value of <0.05 was considered to be significant. A total of 286 pediatric kidney transplant recipients received a DCD allograft. The donors in the DCD group were significantly younger than those in the DBD group (21.7 vs 23.3 years), with a higher KDPI (26.5% vs 22.9%). In the DCD group, the average age at transplant was younger (11.6 vs 12.9 years), with no difference in cold ischemia time or length of stay between the two groups. Rates of delayed graft function were higher in the DCD group, but despite this, there were no significant differences in allograft or patient survival between the groups. There is no difference in allograft survival in pediatric kidney transplant recipients who receive a DCD kidney allograft. DCD kidney allografts are suitable for transplantation in pediatric patients and can greatly expand the donor pool.

Recommendations for donation after circulatory death kidney transplantation in Europe

Donation after circulatory death (DCD) donors provides an invaluable source for kidneys for transplantation. Over the last decade, we have observed a substantial increase in the number of DCD kidneys, particularly within Europe. We provide an overview of risk factors associated with DCD kidney function and survival and formulate recommendations from the sixth international conference on organ donation in Paris, for best-practice guidelines. A systematic review of the literature was performed using Ovid Medline, Embase and Cochrane databases. Topics are discussed, including donor selection, organ procurement, organ preservation, recipient selection and transplant management.

Preliminary results of transplantation with kidneys donated after cardiac death: a path of hope for organ transplantation in China

BACKGROUND

This article aims to explore the feasibility and effect of kidney transplantation (KT) from donation after cardiac death (DCD) donors in China.

METHODS

From July 2011 to April 2013, 94 DCD kidneys retrieved and transplanted by our centre were reviewed in this largest single-centre cohort study. Patients with and without delayed graft function (DGF) were compared between DCD KT cohorts. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), post-operative complications and graft loss at different time points were recorded. Factors related to DGF were examined and analysed.

RESULTS

There was no primary non-function (PNF) graft observed from patients. DGF rate was 27.7%; and 1-year overall graft and patient survival rates were 95.7 and 98.9%, respectively. In the first 6 months post-transplantation, eGFR was significantly lower in the DGF group compared with the non-DGF group (46 versus 52 mL/min; P = 0.04); but the difference disappeared thereafter (50 versus 47 mL/min, after 1 year).

CONCLUSION

Despite early DGF and short-term observations, we are pleased to have this opportunity of sharing our initial experience and results, and justifying the continued DCD KT programmes in China.

Outcome of renal transplantation from deceased donors after cardiac death: a single-center experience from a developing country

BACKGROUND

Limited information is available in the literature about the use of organs from donation after cardiac death (DCD) renal transplantation (RTx) from a developing country.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We report RTx outcome between DCD donors ≥70 years (Group 1; n = 14; mean age, 75.7 ± 5.81) and DCD donors <70 years (Group 2; n = l9; mean age, 51.7 ± 10.1) between January 1999 and January 2012. The mean age of recipients was 39.5 ± 14.7 years, 24 of whom were males. The mean donor age was 61.9 ± 14.6 years, 21 of whom were males. All recipients received single-dose thymoglobulin induction followed by immunosuppression with a steroid, a calcineurin inhibitor, and mycophenolate mofetil or azathioprine. Statistical analysis used chi-square test and unpaired Student t test. Kaplan-Meier curves were used for survival analysis.

RESULTS

Over a mean follow-up of 3.21 ± 3.46 years, one-, five-, and ten-year, patient survival rates were 77%, 67.4%, and 67.4%, respectively, and death-censored graft survival rates were 85.7% for one, five, and ten years. Delayed graft function (DGF) was observed in 36.4% (n = 12) with 12.1% (n = 4) biopsy-proven acute rejection (BPAR). Patient survival (P = .27), graft survival (P = .20), DGF (P = .51), and BPAR (P = .74) were similar in 2 groups. A total of 27.2% (n = 9) of patients died, mainly due to infections (n = 5).

CONCLUSION

Given the widespread organ shortage, outcomes of controlled DCD renal transplantation has a potential to expand the donor pool and shorten the waiting list for RTx, encouraging the use of this approach even in low-income countries.

Donation after cardiac death in Queensland: review of the pilot project

Organ transplantation is a viable therapeutic option for patients with endstage organ failure when other therapies have been exhausted. Donation after cardiac death (DCD) is re-emerging as a potential option to expand the donor pool to meet an increasing demand for organ transplantation. In this review, we evaluate the evolution of the Queensland DCD pilot project since its inception in August 2008. A retrospective analysis of registry data from Australia and New Zealand Organ Donation (ANZOD) and DonateLife Queensland was performed to collect information relating to donor characteristics, DCD process and outcomes. Data was compared with the ANZOD registry annual reports from 2008 to 2010. Twenty-three (82%) out of 28 potential DCD organ donors were successful in donating their organs. The median time from presentation to reaching consensus to withdraw cardiorespiratory support was four days (interquartile range three to eight days). The median time from withdrawal to death was 20 minutes (interquartile range 18 to 25 minutes), and the median warm ischaemia time was 17 minutes (interquartile range 14 to 19 minutes). DCD donors represented 16% (23) of the 144 deceased donors over the study period and provided approximately 10% (48) of the 505 deceased organs in Queensland. The DCD pilot project resulted in an increase in solid organ transplantation in Queensland. It allowed the development of policies to facilitate DCD, in accordance with state's legislation and DonateLife practices. If implemented state-wide, the program has the potential to be an effective way to improve organ donation rates in Queensland.

Kidney donation after cardiac death

There is continuing disparity between demand for and supply of kidneys for transplantation. This review describes the current state of kidney donation after cardiac death (DCD) and provides recommendations for a way forward. The conversion rate for potential DCD donors varies from 40%-80%. Compared to controlled DCD, uncontrolled DCD is more labour intensive, has a lower conversion rate and a higher discard rate. The super-rapid laparotomy technique involving direct aortic cannulation is preferred over in situ perfusion in controlled DCD donation and is associated with lower kidney discard rates, shorter warm ischaemia times and higher graft survival rates. DCD kidneys showed a 5.73-fold increase in the incidence of delayed graft function (DGF) and a higher primary non function rate compared to donation after brain death kidneys, but the long term graft function is equivalent between the two. The cold ischaemia time is a controllable factor that significantly influences the outcome of allografts, for example, limiting it to < 12 h markedly reduces DGF. DCD kidneys from donors < 50 function like standard criteria kidneys and should be viewed as such. As the majority of DCD kidneys are from controlled donation, incorporation of uncontrolled donation will expand the donor pool. Efforts to maximise the supply of kidneys from DCD include: implementing organ recovery from emergency department setting; improving family consent rate; utilising technological developments to optimise organs either prior to recovery from donors or during storage; improving organ allocation to ensure best utility; and improving viability testing to reduce primary non function.

Kidney graft outcome and quality (after transplantation) from uncontrolled deceased donors after cardiac arrest

The use of uncontrolled deceased donors after cardiac arrest (uDDCA) has been developed in France to compensate for organ shortage. The quality of these kidneys remains unclear. We analyzed kidney graft function and histology from 27 uDDCA and compared them with kidneys from 30 extended criteria donors (ECD) and from 24 simultaneous pancreas kidney (SPK) donors as a control group of optimal deceased donors. Kidneys from ECD and SPK donors were preserved by static cold storage while kidneys from uDDCA were preserved by pulsatile perfusion. The uDDCA graft function at 3 years posttransplantation (estimated with MDRD and measured with inulin clearance) did not differ from that of the ECD group (eGFR 44.1 vs. 37.4 mL/min/1.73 m(2) , p = 0.13; mGFR 44.6 vs. 36.1 mL/min/1.73 m(2) , p = 0.07 in the uDDCA and ECD groups, respectively). The histological assessment of 3-month and 1-year protocol biopsies did not show differences for interstitial lesions between the uDDCA and ECD grafts (IF score at M3 was 30 vs. 28% and at M12 36 vs. 33%, p = NS). In conclusion, the results at 3 years with carefully selected and machine-perfused uDDCA kidneys have been comparable to ECD kidneys and encourage continuation of this program and development of similar programs.

Time trend in access to the waiting list and renal transplantation: a comparison of four European countries

BACKGROUND

To examine the time trend and international differences in access to the waiting list and renal transplantation of patients with end-stage kidney disease.

METHODS

We included all patients (n = 30 961) from Austria, Norway, the Netherlands and Scotland who started renal replacement therapy (RRT) between 1995 and 2003 with their kidney transplant waiting list data (until 31 December 2005) and follow-up data on RRT and mortality (until 31 December 2007). The outcome measure was access to the waiting list within 2 years and to a first renal transplant within 4 years from the start of RRT, expressed as incidence per million age-related population (p.m.a.r.p.) per year. To estimate trends over time, mean percentage annual change (MPAC) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated.

RESULTS

In each country, the number of patients starting RRT > 65 years increased significantly over time, whereas the number of renal transplants did not increase to the same extent. Only in Norway were almost all patients on the waiting list transplanted within 4 years of RRT start if they were < 65 years. In patients who started RRT > 65 years, the access to renal transplantation was high in Norway (49 p.m.a.r.p.) and low in Austria ( < 26 p.m.a.r.p.), the Netherlands and Scotland (both < 10 p.m.a.r.p.) but increased significantly in Austria (MPAC = 9.8%; 95% CI = 3.9-16.9) and the Netherlands (MPAC = 9.0%; 95% CI = 3.2-15.0).

CONCLUSION

Only in Norway, virtually all patients on the waiting list < 65 years received a transplant within 4 years after the start of RRT and, remarkably, also most of those > 65 years of age.

Donation after circulatory death

Donation after circulatory death (DCD) describes the retrieval of organs for the purposes of transplantation that follows death confirmed using circulatory criteria. The persisting shortfall in the availability of organs for transplantation has prompted many countries to re-introduce DCD schemes not only for kidney retrieval but increasingly for other organs with a lower tolerance for warm ischaemia such as the liver, pancreas, and lungs. DCD contrasts in many important respects to the current standard model for deceased donation, namely donation after brain death. The challenge in the practice of DCD includes how to identify patients as suitable potential DCD donors, how to support and maintain the trust of bereaved families, and how to manage the consequences of warm ischaemia in a fashion that is professionally, ethically, and legally acceptable. Many of the concerns about the practice of both controlled and uncontrolled DCD are being addressed by increasing professional consensus on the ethical and legal justification for many of the interventions necessary to facilitate DCD. In some countries, DCD after the withdrawal of active treatment accounts for a substantial proportion of deceased organ donors overall. Where this occurs, there is an increased acceptance that organ and tissue donation should be considered a routine part of end-of-life care in both intensive care unit and emergency department.

Contribution of donors after cardiac death to the deceased donor pool: 2002 to 2009 University of Liege experience

OBJECTIVE

In this study, we have evaluated the organ procurement and transplantation activity from donors after cardiac death (DCD) at our institution over an 8-year period. Our aim was to determine whether this program influenced transplantation programs, or donation after brain death (DBD) activity.

METHODS

We prospectively collected our procurement and transplantation statistics in a database for retrospective review.

RESULTS

We observed an increasing trend in potential and actual DCD number. The mean conversion rate turning potential into effective donors was 58.1%. DCD accounted for 16.6% of the deceased donor (DD) pool over 8 years. The mean age for effective DCD donors was 53.9 years (range, 3-79). Among the effective donors, 63.3% (n = 31) came from the transplant center and 36.7% (n = 18) were referred from collaborative hospitals. All donors were Maastricht III category. The number of kidney and liver transplants using DCD sources tended to increase. DCD kidney transplants represented 10.8% of the DD kidney pool and DCD liver transplants made up 13.9% of the DD liver pool over 8 years. The DBD program activity increased in the same time period. In 2009, 17 DCD and 33 DBD procurements were performed in a region with a little >1 million inhabitants.

CONCLUSION

The establishment of a DCD program in our institution enlarged the donor pool and did not compromise the development of the DBD program. In our experience, DCD are a valuable source for abdominal organ transplantation.