Ten hour donor heart ischemic time with 10ºC static storage

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Transplantation Surgery
• Organ Preservation

Background:

• Heart transplantation is limited by donor organ availability and preservation time.
• Extended ischemic times pose challenges for successful allograft function.
• Machine perfusion is often used to extend preservation, but static storage is simpler.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and efficacy of 10ºC static storage for extending heart transplant ischemic time and travel radius.
• To assess the feasibility of long-distance heart transport using static preservation.
• To demonstrate excellent early allograft function despite extended preservation.

Main Methods:

• A heart donor organ was transported from Anchorage, AK, to a recipient center using 10ºC static storage.
• The total ischemic time exceeded 10 hours for the approximately 2,700 nautical mile journey.
• The recipient had a history of ischemic cardiomyopathy, a left ventricular assist device (LVAD), and end-stage renal disease, requiring a combined heart-kidney transplant.

Main Results:

• The donor heart was successfully transported and implanted, demonstrating superb early allograft function.
• The 10ºC static storage safely extended the ischemic time and travel radius for heart transplantation.
• Excellent outcomes were achieved without the need for machine perfusion.

Conclusions:

• Extended ischemic times and increased travel radii in heart transplantation are achievable with 10ºC static storage.
• Good recovery, storage, and implant techniques are crucial for excellent outcomes.
• Static cold storage remains a viable and effective method for donor heart preservation over long distances.