Dual temperature multi-organ recovery from a Maastricht category III donor after circulatory death

Donation after circulatory death (DCD) makes a significant contribution to the transplant activity but is associated with significantly lower organ recovery rates and poorer function for the abdominal extra-renal organs compared with donation after brain death. Traditionally, DCD organ recovery involves cold thoracic and abdominal perfusion with a rapid removal of organs in order to minimize the ischemic damage. Novel approaches to organ recovery and preservation include the use of normothermic regional perfusion in the donor and ex vivo organ preservation. We report a new technique for multi-organ recovery from Maastricht category III donors with abdominal normothermic perfusion and concomitant cold lung flushing which allows a rapid removal of the lungs with preservation of the abdominal normothermic circulation throughout the thoracic procurement. This approach could lead to an increased organ recovery and better function for the abdominal organs.