[Organ preservation with the combination of vasopressin and catecholamine in brain dead donors]

Brain dead donor can not be maintained the systemic circulation more than 48 hours despite rather large dosage of catecholamine. The combined administration of arginine vasopressin (ADH) and catecholamine (epinephrine or dopamine) succeeded in long-term circulatory maintenance after brain death. We examined the renal and hepatic function by the method of circulatory maintenance. Twenty brain dead patients were randomly separated into two groups. Ten patients were maintained the systemic blood pressure with ADH and epinephrine (Group E). And the other ten were maintained with ADH and dopamine (Group D). Circulation was maintained with a small dosage of catecholamine at least six days in all donors. Urine output was well controlled, and serum BUN and creatinine were normal for 14 days. Daily creatinine clearance was always normal in both groups. Serum GPT, cholinesterase and alkaliphosphatase were the same in both groups, but total bilirubin was lower in group D than in group E on the seventh day. The combination of ADH and catecholamine preserved the kidney and liver after brain death for more than a week. This method will be of great value in organ transplantation from brain dead organ donors.