[Functioning of an organ procurement center in Bordeau]

The ever increasing practice of transplantation requires the creation of units specialized in the reception of potential organ donors. The functioning of the organ procurement centre at Bordeaux is described, and the results of 100 procurements performed over a 27-month period are reported. The technical support (electroencephalography, laboratories, etc.) ensures that the donors are under permanent care. Recipients chosen in priority are "super-emergencies" and local patients. One half of the 100 donors came from the Gironde department and the others from 6 neighbouring departments. Procurement takes place 6 hours on average after the 2nd inactive electroencephalogram, and it is multiple in 87 per cent of the cases. Two hundred and fifty-two organs were obtained, including 166 kidneys (8 of which were not utilized), 50 hearts and 36 livers; 55 per cent remained in Bordeaux and 45 per cent were sent to other parts of France or abroad. The cerebral death reception centre must be self-sufficient, independent and permanently accessible. Ideally, local co-ordination is ensured by a physician. Procurements in peripheral hospital are possible but difficult to organize. A greater sensitization, a better regional collaboration and a widening of the criteria used in the selection of donors should result in a further increase in the number of multiple organ procurements.