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Solid Organ Donation From Brain-dead Donors With Cardiorespiratory Arrest After Snow Avalanche Burial: A
Lukas Gasteiger1, Gabriel Putzer1, Regina Unterpertinger1
1Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Insights
Organ retrieval from avalanche victims is feasible, with transplanted organs showing excellent survival and function. Donation after Circulatory Determination of Death could increase organ availability from these tragic incidents.
Area of Science:
- Medical research
- Transplant surgery
- Trauma medicine
Background:
- Snow avalanche burial leads to high mortality.
- Assessing organ retrieval feasibility in avalanche victims is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- Evaluate organ retrieval and transplantation in brain-dead avalanche victims.
- Assess the function and survival of transplanted organs.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of the transplant registry at the Medical University of Innsbruck.
- Identified organ donors with a history of avalanche burial.
- Assessed transplanted organ function and survival.
Main Results:
- Eight donors yielded 33 organs; 31 were transplanted (13 kidneys, 6 livers, 3 pancreases, 5 hearts, 4 lungs).
- 1-year allograft and recipient survival rates were 100%.
- Initial and long-term graft function were good; only one-third of eligible victims became donors.
Conclusions:
- Organs from brain-dead avalanche victims can be successfully transplanted.
- Donation after Circulatory Determination of Death programs may increase organ donation rates in avalanche victims.
Background:
Complete snow avalanche burial is associated with high mortality. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and incidence of organ retrieval in brain-dead donors following cardiorespiratory arrest due to avalanche burial and to evaluate the function of transplanted organs.
Methods:
The transplant registry of the Medical University of Innsbruck was searched for organ donors with a history of avalanche burial, and the function and survival of transplanted organs were assessed.
Results:
Thirty-three organs were procured from eight donors and 31 organs (13 kidneys, 6 livers, 3 pancreases, 5 hearts, and 4 lungs) were ultimately transplanted. Allograft and recipient 1-y survival were 100% and both initial and long-term graft function were good. Only one-third of all avalanche victims who died in the intensive care unit with signs of irreversible hypoxic brain injury became organ donors.
Conclusions:
Initial experience from this retrospective study suggests that organs from brain-dead avalanche victims can be transplanted with good results. Starting a Donation after Circulatory Determination of Death program might be an option for increasing the number of organ donations from avalanche victims with irreversible hypoxic brain injury.
