Pediatric organ donor maintenance: pathophysiologic derangements and nursing requirements

A retrospective chart review was conducted of 26 organ donors to determine hemodynamic and metabolic derangements encountered and nursing requirements for donor organ maintenance. There were 15 boys and 11 girls with a mean age 6.57 +/- 5.46 years. Mean donor maintenance time was 10.5 +/- 6.7 hours. Cardiorespiratory derangements included hypotension in 16, hypertension in 6, arrhythmias in 17 (premature ventricular contraction in 4, bradycardia in 8, paroxysmal atrial tachycardia in 3, and ventricular tachycardia in 2), asystolic events in 5, pulmonary insufficiency in 6, anemia in 8, and thrombocytopenia in 8. Metabolic and hormonal derangements included hyperglycemia in 18, hypokalemia in 20, hyperkalemia in 4, hyponatremia in 3, hypernatremia in 17, metabolic acidosis in 10, and diabetes insipidus in 15. Hypothermia (temperature 33.3 degrees +/- 0.4 degrees C, mean +/- SD) occurred in 14 donors. The mean physiologic Stability Index score was 22.2 +/- 4.7 and mean Therapeutic Intervention Score was 46.7 +/- 5.8. Total number of nursing hours spent in donor maintenance was 424.5 hours. Therapies offered included diuretics in 10, sodium bicarbonate in 8, antibiotics in 6, insulin in 12, pitressin in 13, verapamil in 3, isoproterenol in 3, dopamine in 17, and intravenous potassium boluses in 14. Of the potential 26 donors, 46 kidneys, 8 hearts, 14 livers, 3 pancreas, and 9 corneas were retrieved in transplantable condition. With appropriate donor maintenance, organs suitable for transplantation can be retrieved despite significant pathophysiologic derangements. Physicians intending to provide donor support should be comfortable with invasive monitoring and cardiorespiratory support and be prepared to provide a nurse to patient ratio of 2:1 at the bedside.