Non heart beating organ donation in adults: a clinical practice guideline

Area of Science:

• Medical Ethics
• Transplantation Medicine
• Cardiorespiratory Medicine

Background:

• Non-heart-beating organ donation (NHBD), also termed Donation after Cardiac Death (DCD), involves organ procurement following circulatory cessation.
• NHBD contrasts with Donation after Brainstem Death (DBD), which historically comprised all deceased donor organ donations in Ireland.
• NHBD presents a critical avenue for increasing organ availability for transplantation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the NHBD protocol implemented at Beaumont Hospital.
• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of NHBD in a clinical setting.
• To highlight NHBD as a life-saving alternative in organ donation.

Main Methods:

• The study reviews the established NHBD protocol at Beaumont Hospital.
• The protocol adheres to strict cardiorespiratory criteria for determining death.
• Patient selection and organ procurement procedures are detailed.

Main Results:

• The Beaumont Hospital NHBD protocol is characterized as conservative and restrictive compared to international standards.
• Successful organ transplants have been performed from NHB donors since the protocol's implementation.
• NHBD provides a viable option when brainstem death criteria cannot be met.

Conclusions:

• NHBD is a valuable and life-saving organ donation strategy.
• The Beaumont Hospital's NHBD protocol is safe and effective, enabling successful transplants.
• NHBD expands the donor pool, offering hope to patients awaiting transplants.