Long-distance donor heart procurement using an innovative cold static storage system

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Transplantation Surgery
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Global donor shortage significantly limits heart transplantation availability.
• Expanded donor criteria, including extended transport and ischemia, aim to increase donor pool access.
• Advancements in cold storage are crucial for utilizing donor hearts with prolonged preservation times.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report on a long-distance donor heart procurement case.
• To highlight the use of an innovative cold storage system for extended transport.
• To demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing donor hearts with unprecedented transport distances and times.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the SherpaPak™ cold storage system for donor heart transport.
• Undertook a long-distance donor heart procurement mission.
• Documented the transport distance and time, establishing a new literature record.

Main Results:

• Successfully procured and transported a donor heart over the longest reported distance and time.
• Maintained controlled temperatures throughout the extended transportation period using SherpaPak™.
• Demonstrated the viability of extended ischemic times for donor heart preservation.

Conclusions:

• Innovative cold storage systems like SherpaPak™ can overcome geographical limitations in organ procurement.
• Extended transport distances and prolonged ischemic times are feasible with advanced preservation technology.
• This approach can significantly expand the donor pool for heart transplantation, addressing critical shortages.