Retrieval of donor livers.

Area of Science:

• Transplantation Surgery
• Organ Procurement
• Hepatobiliary Medicine

Background:

• A new liver transplantation program requires a robust organ procurement service.
• Key components include trained personnel, transportation, and communication systems.
• The Mayo Clinic's central location facilitated organ retrieval across North America.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the establishment and initial outcomes of an organ procurement service for a new liver transplant program.
• To assess the impact of the organ procurement service on organ availability.
• To evaluate the feasibility of organ retrieval for the first 100 liver allografts.

Main Methods:

• Establishment of a dedicated organ procurement service with specialized personnel.
• Development of a dedicated transportation system for organ retrieval.
• Implementation of communication protocols between retrieval sites and the operating room.
• Analysis of organ retrieval data for the first 100 liver allografts.

Main Results:

• 118 organ retrievals were performed for the first 100 liver allografts.
• The organ procurement service successfully managed retrievals from diverse locations.
• Organ availability was sufficient and did not limit the initial phase of the transplant program.

Conclusions:

• A well-structured organ procurement service is essential for the success of a liver transplantation program.
• Organ availability can be effectively managed through specialized services and logistical planning.
• The initial phase of the liver transplant program demonstrated the viability of the organ procurement model.