Admission to Intensive Care for Palliative Care or Potential Organ Donation: Demographics, Circumstances, Outcomes, and Resource Use

Requesting Relatives' Consent for Intensive Care for Organ Donation: An Empirical Analysis of Spanish Transplant Coordinators' Practices

BACKGROUND

Intensive care to facilitate organ donation (ICOD) involves the initiation or continuation of intensive care for patients with devastating brain injury for donation purposes. In the Spanish system, relatives undergo an early interview to request consent for this procedure. If they consent, a waiting time is agreed upon in the expectation that death by neurological criteria occurs and donation after brain death takes place. Otherwise, relatives can decide on donation after circulatory determination of death or withdrawal of life support. This study analyzes how Spanish transplant coordinators interact with relatives in early interviews and follow-ups on potential donation pathways.

METHODS

Semistructured interviews were conducted with a random stratified sample of 23 Spanish transplant coordination teams to explore strategies, practices, and perceptions of ICOD consent requests. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using content analysis.

RESULTS

Previous coordination with other units and information retrieval regarding patient and relatives' situations is crucial. The development of early interviews includes an introduction to the family, identification of decision makers, empathizing with relatives and offering condolences, reaffirming the fatal prognosis, explaining the possibility of donating based on the patient's will, confirming the family's understanding and resolving doubts, and ensuring comfort and assessing family needs.

CONCLUSIONS

Approaching families to obtain ICOD consent is a regular practice for Spanish coordination teams. It involves a highly professional and diversified set of strategies based on establishing a support relationship for relatives. Our study provides strategies that serve as a reference for obtaining ICOD consent from families in other settings.

Assessing Outcomes of Patients Subject to Intensive Care to Facilitate Organ Donation: A Spanish Multicenter Prospective Study

Intensive Care to facilitate Organ Donation (ICOD) consists of the initiation or continuation of intensive care measures in patients with a devastating brain injury (DBI) in whom curative treatment is deemed futile and death by neurological criteria (DNC) is foreseen, to incorporate organ donation into their end-of-life plans. In this study we evaluate the outcomes of patients subject to ICOD and identify radiological and clinical factors associated with progression to DNC. In this first prospective multicenter study we tested by multivariate regression the association of clinical and radiological severity features with progression to DNC. Of the 194 patients, 144 (74.2%) patients fulfilled DNC after a median of 25 h (95% IQR: 17-44) from ICOD onset. Two patients (1%) shifted from ICOD to curative treatment, both were alive at discharge. Factors associated with progression to DNC included: age below 70 years, clinical score consistent with severe brain injury, instability, intracranial hemorrhage, midline shift ≥5 mm and certain types of brain herniation. Overall 151 (77.8%) patients progressed to organ donation. Based on these results, we conclude that ICOD is a beneficial and efficient practice that can contribute to the pool of deceased donors.

Palliative and end-of-life care practices for critically ill patients and their families in a peri-intensive care setting: A protocol for an umbrella review

OBJECTIVES

This umbrella review will summarize palliative and end-of-life care practices in peri-intensive care settings by reviewing systematic reviews in intensive care unit (ICU) settings. Evidence suggests that integrating palliative care into ICU management, initiating conversations about care goals, and providing psychological and emotional support can significantly enhance patient and family outcomes.

METHODS

The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for umbrella reviews will be followed. The search will be carried out from inception until 30 September 2023 in the following databases: Cochrane Library, SCOPUS, Web of Science, CINAHL Complete, Medline, EMBASE, and PsycINFO. Two reviewers will independently conduct screening, data extraction, and quality assessment, and to resolve conflicts, adding a third reviewer will facilitate the consensus-building process. The quality assessment will be carried out using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist. The review findings will be reported per the guidelines outlined in the Preferred Reporting Items for Overviews of Reviews statement.

RESULTS

This umbrella review seeks to inform future research and practice in critical care medicine, helping to ensure that end-of-life care interventions are optimized to meet the needs of critically ill patients and their families.

Perceptions of intensive care triage in Australia and New Zealand in 2009 and 2023

Objective

Intensive care (ICU) beds are scarce and decision-making regarding admission is complex and multi-factorial. This study aimed to characterise differences in admission decision making between Australia and New Zealand and compare to previous data to establish changes over time.

Design

Online Survey.

Setting and Participants

An online survey was distributed to Australian and New Zealand intensive care doctors measuring triage behaviours in the last week and responses to ICU triage scenarios.

Main Outcome Measures

Perceived ICU admission behaviours.

Results

103 responses were obtained, 83(80.6%) from Australia and 97 (94.2%) from specialist intensivists. The median number of triage decisions and patients declined were 6-10 and 1-5 respectively. No difference was noted in the role of ICU bed capacity in decision making between Australia and New Zealand. Compared to Australian intensivists, New Zealand intensivists were less likely to admit a patient: with relapsed acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)(p=0.03), with persistent vegetative state and community acquired (p=0.02) or iatrogenic (p=0.03) pneumonia. Compared to respondents in 2009 (n=238), 2023 respondents were more likely to admit a patient: with a severe intracranial bleed who may become braindead (p=0.005), with relapsed AML and ARDS (p=0.02), with stroke for palliative care (p<0.001); and less likely to admit a patient with persistent vegetative state and iatrogenic pneumonia (p=0.03). In a multivariable analysis, respondents from Australian compared to New Zealand and from 2023 compared to 2009 were more likely to indicate they would admit patients to the ICU in the scenarios described (p<0.001 for both comparisons).

Conclusions

Our study suggests that New Zealand intensivists may apply more restrictive ICU admission criteria than Australian intensivists. Changes in attitudes to admission since 2009 may reflect increased awareness of the importance of facilitating organ donation and the role of ICU as providers of palliative care.

Surgical Science and the Evolution of Critical Care Medicine

Surgical science has driven innovation and inquiry across adult and pediatric disciplines that provide critical care regardless of location. Surgically originated but broadly applicable knowledge has been globally shared within the pages Critical Care Medicine over the last 50 years.

A microcosting analysis of ICU expenditure in the interval between brain death and organ donation

Objective: The cost of providing care in an intensive care unit (ICU) after brain death to facilitate organ donation is unknown. The objective of this study was to estimate expenditure for the care delivered in the ICU between the diagnosis of brain death and subsequent organ donation. Design: Cohort study of direct and indirect costs using bottom-up and top-down microcosting techniques. Setting: Single adult ICU in Australia. Participants: All patients who met criteria for brain death and proceeded to organ donation during a 13-month period between 1 January 2018 and 31 January 2019. Main outcome measures: A comprehensive cost estimate for care provided in the ICU from determination of brain death to transfer to theatre for organ donation. Results: Forty-five patients with brain death became organ donors during the study period. The mean duration of postdeath care in the ICU was 37.9 hours (standard deviation [SD], 16.5) at a mean total cost of $7520 (SD, $3136) per donor. ICU staff salaries were the greatest contributor to total costs, accounting for a median proportion of 0.72 of total expenditure (interquartile range, 0.68-0.75). Conclusions: Substantial costs are incurred in ICU for the provision of patient care in the interval between brain death and organ donation.

Solid organ donation from the emergency department - A systematic review

OBJECTIVES

A significant gap exists between people awaiting an organ transplant and organ donors. The purpose of this study was to determine what percent of successful donors come from the emergency department (ED), whether there are any missed donors, and to identify factors associated with successful and missed donation.

METHODS

This systematic review used electronic searches of EMBASE, MEDLINE, and CINAHL according to PRISMA guidelines on July 7, 2017. We included primary literature in adults describing successful and missed organ donation. Two authors independently screened articles, and discrepancies were resolved through consensus. Quality was assessed using the STROBE checklist.

RESULTS

This systematic review identified 1,058 articles, and 25 articles were included. For neurologic determination of death, ED patients comprised 4%-50% of successful donors and 3.6%-8.9% of successful donors for donation after circulatory determination of death. ED death reviews revealed up to 84% of missed neurologic determination of death, and 46.2% of missed circulatory determination of death donors who died in the ED are missed due to a failure to refer for consideration of organ donation. Clinical heterogeneity precluded pooling of the data to conduct a meta-analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

The ED is a source of actual and missed donors. Potential donors are often missed due to incorrect assumptions regarding eligibility criteria and failure of the healthcare team to refer for consideration of donation. ED healthcare professionals should be aware of organ donation referral protocols at their institution to ensure that no organ donors are missed.

Outcomes of patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage admitted to Australian and New Zealand intensive care units following a cardiac arrest

OBJECTIVES

To describe the characteristics and outcomes of adults with a subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) admitted to Australian and New Zealand intensive care units (ICUs) with a cardiac arrest in the preceding 24 hours.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Study data from 144 Australian and New Zealand ICUs were obtained from the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society Centre for Outcome and Resource Evaluation Adult Patient Database.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 439 of 11 047 (3.9%) patients admitted to an ICU with a SAH had a documented cardiac arrest in the 24 hours preceding their ICU admission. The mean age of patients with SAH and a preceding cardiac arrest was 55.3 years (SD, 13.7) and 251 of 439 (57.2%) were female.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome of interest was in-hospital mortality. Key secondary outcomes were ICU mortality, ICU and hospital lengths of stay, the proportion of patients discharged home.

RESULTS

SAH patients with a history of cardiac arrest preceding ICU admission had a higher mortality rate (81.5% v 23.3%; P < 0.0001) and a lower rate of discharge home (4.6% v 37.0%; P < 0.0001) compared with patients with SAH who did not have a cardiac arrest. Among patients with SAH who had a cardiac arrest and survived, 20 of 81 (24.7%) were discharged home. In SAH patients with cardiac arrest, having a GCS of 3, the Australian and New Zealand Risk of Death score, and being admitted to ICU for palliative care or organ donation were significant predictors of in-hospital death.

CONCLUSIONS

Almost one in five SAH patients who had a documented cardiac arrest in the 24 hours preceding ICU admission to an Australian and New Zealand ICU survived to hospital discharge, with around a quarter of these survivors discharged home. The neurological outcomes of these patients are uncertain, and understanding the burden of disability in survivors is an important area for further research.

Outcomes of patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage admitted to Australian and New Zealand intensive care units following a cardiac arrest

OBJECTIVES

To describe the characteristics and outcomes of adults with a subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) admitted to Australian and New Zealand intensive care units (ICUs) with a cardiac arrest in the preceding 24 hours.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Study data from 144 Australian and New Zealand ICUs were obtained from the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society Centre for Outcome and Resource Evaluation Adult Patient Database.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 439 of 11 047 (3.9%) patients admitted to an ICU with a SAH had a documented cardiac arrest in the 24 hours preceding their ICU admission. The mean age of patients with SAH and a preceding cardiac arrest was 55.3 years (SD, 13.7) and 251 of 439 (57.2%) were female.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome of interest was in-hospital mortality. Key secondary outcomes were ICU mortality, ICU and hospital lengths of stay, the proportion of patients discharged home.

RESULTS

SAH patients with a history of cardiac arrest preceding ICU admission had a higher mortality rate (81.5% v 23.3%; P < 0.0001) and a lower rate of discharge home (4.6% v 37.0%; P < 0.0001) compared with patients with SAH who did not have a cardiac arrest. Among patients with SAH who had a cardiac arrest and survived, 20 of 81 (24.7%) were discharged home. In SAH patients with cardiac arrest, having a GCS of 3, the Australian and New Zealand Risk of Death score, and being admitted to ICU for palliative care or organ donation were significant predictors of in-hospital death.

CONCLUSIONS

Almost one in five SAH patients who had a documented cardiac arrest in the 24 hours preceding ICU admission to an Australian and New Zealand ICU survived to hospital discharge, with around a quarter of these survivors discharged home. The neurological outcomes of these patients are uncertain, and understanding the burden of disability in survivors is an important area for further research.

Application of pediatric donors in split liver transplantation: Is there an age limit?

The experience of using pediatric donors in split liver transplant is exceedingly rare. We aim to investigate the outcomes of recipients receiving split pediatric grafts. Sixteen pediatric recipients receiving split liver grafts from 8 pediatric donors < 7 years were enrolled. The donor and recipient characteristics, perioperative course, postoperative complications, and graft and recipient survival rates were evaluated. The mean follow-up time was 8.0 ± 2.3 months. The graft and recipient survival rates were 100%. The liver function remained in the normal range at the end of the follow-up time in all recipients. No life-threatening complications were seen in these recipients, and the only surgery-related complication was portal vein stenosis in 1 recipient. Cytomegalovirus infection was the most common complication (62.5%). The transaminase level was significant higher in extended right lobe recipients in the early postoperative days, but the difference vanished at the end of first week; postoperative complications and graft and recipient survival rates did not differ between left and right graft recipients. Notably, the youngest split donor graft (2.7 years old) was associated with ideal recipient outcomes. Split liver transplant using well-selected pediatric donors is a promising strategy to expand pediatric donor source in well-matched recipients.

Missed opportunities for organ donation in patients with intracranial haemorrhage at the emergency department: A single-centre study

Background:

The demand for transplantable organs has increased in Singapore. However, organ donation has been consistently lower than international standards. Donation after brain death (DBD) most commonly follows intracranial haemorrhage (ICH).

Objective:

Our aim was to identify missed opportunities for organ donation among those who presented to the Emergency Department (ED) and died following ICH.

Methods:

A retrospective study was carried out for all cases of ICH presenting to the ED from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2017. The patients’ medical records were reviewed for identification of potential donors and actualisation of organ donation.

Results:

There were 615 cases of ICH, with a mortality rate of 6.0%. Among those who died, 28 (75.7%) died in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and nine (24.3%) patients had withdrawal of care in the ED. Thirty patients (81.1%) were potential donors but organ donation was actualised in only three (8.1%) patients. Thirteen organs, as well as heart valves and iliac vessels were retrieved from the organ donors for transplantation.

Conclusion:

There were missed opportunities for organ donation. EDs have an important role to play in the national organ donation programme by identifying potential donors for organ donation and considering admitting these patients to ICU to facilitate organ donation.

Summary of Spanish recommendations on intensive care to facilitate organ donation

With the aim of consolidating recommendations about the practice of initiating or continuing intensive care to facilitate organ donation (ICOD), an ad hoc working group was established, comprising 10 intensivists designated by the Spanish Society of Intensive Care and Coronary Units (SEMICYUC) and the Spanish National Transplant Organization (ONT). Consensus was reached in all recommendations through a deliberative process. After a public consultation, the final recommendations were institutionally adopted by SEMICYUC, ONT, and the Transplant Committee of the National Health-Care System. This article reports on the resulting recommendations on ICOD for patients with a devastating brain injury for whom the decision has been made not to apply any medical or surgical treatment with a curative purpose on the grounds of futility. Emphasis is made on the systematic referral of these patients to donor coordinators, the proper assessment of the likelihood of brain death and medical suitability, and on transparency in communication with the patient's family. The legal and ethical aspects of ICOD are addressed. ICOD is considered a legitimate practice that offers more patients the opportunity of donating their organs upon their death and helps to increase the availability of organs for transplantation.

Barriers and Enablers to Organ Donation After Circulatory Determination of Death: A Qualitative Study Exploring the Beliefs of Frontline Intensive Care Unit Professionals and Organ Donor Coordinators

Background

A shortage of transplantable organs is a global problem. The purpose of this study was to explore frontline intensive care unit professionals' and organ donor coordinators' perceptions and beliefs around the process of, and the barriers and enablers to, donation after circulatory determination death (DCDD).

Methods

This qualitative descriptive study used a semistructured interview guide informed by the Theoretical Domains Framework to interview 55 key informants (physicians, nurses, and organ donation coordinators) in intensive care units (hospitals) and organ donation organizations across Canada.

Results

Interviews were analyzed using a 6-step systematic approach: coding, generation of specific beliefs, identification of themes, aggregation of themes into categories, assignment of barrier or enabler and analysis for shared and unique discipline barriers and enablers. Seven broad categories encompassing 29 themes of barriers (n = 21) and enablers (n = 4) to DCDD use were identified; n = 4 (14%) themes were conflicting, acting as barriers and enablers. Most themes (n = 26) were shared across the 3 key informant groups while n = 3 themes were unique to physicians. The top 3 shared barriers were: (1) DCDD education is needed for healthcare professionals, (2) a standardized and systematic screening process to identify potential DCDD donors is needed, and (3) practice variation across regions with respect to communication about DCDD with families. A limited number of differences were found by region.

Conclusions

Multiple barriers and enablers to DCDD use were identified. These beliefs identify potential individual, team, organization, and system targets for behavior change interventions to increase DCDD rates which, in turn, should lead to more transplantation, reducing patient morbidity and mortality at a population level.