Using a Graft Arrival Time Estimation Formula Decreases Operation Time in Transplantation From Deceased Donor

Prolonged operation time is a risk factor for negative clinical outcomes in deceased donor transplantation. Implementing a graft arrival time estimation formula to facilitate communication among the transplantation team and to determine the start time for deceased donor liver transplantation (LT) or kidney transplantation (KT) may help reduce operation time.

This was a single-center retrospective study reviewing adult deceased donor LT or KT recipients. Cases between January 2017 and August 2018 were categorized as the pre-formula group, while those between September 2019 and July 2021 were categorized as the formula group. The operation time and the cold ischemic time were compared between the two groups.

Out of 336 recipients reviewed, 227 cases were included in the analysis. In LT, the operation time and the time from anesthesia induction to the start of the anhepatic phase were significantly shorter in the formula group than in the pre-formula group. In KT, the operation time and the time from anesthesia induction to graft insertion were significantly shorter in the formula group than in the pre-formula group. Cold ischemic time in both LT and KT did not differ between the two groups.

Using a graft arrival time estimation formula to facilitate communication may reduce operation time for deceased donor LT and KT.