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Extended donor use for heart transplantation
W T Vigneswaran1, B S Edwards, C G McGregor
1Division of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Saint Mary's Hospital, Rochester, MN 55905.
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery
|September 1, 1993
Insights
A hepatitis C positive cardiac donor with prior open heart surgery highlights the critical need to expand the organ donor pool for heart transplantation.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Transplantation Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- The demand for cardiac allografts consistently outstrips donor availability.
- Previous cardiac surgery in donors can present unique challenges for organ procurement and utilization.
- Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in donors is a growing concern in transplantation.
Observation:
- This report details a case involving a hepatitis C positive cardiac donor.
- The donor had a history of prior open heart surgery, complicating assessment.
- Careful evaluation was necessary to determine graft viability and safety.
Findings:
- Despite previous cardiac surgery and hepatitis C positivity, the donor heart was deemed suitable for transplantation.
- Successful procurement and potential utilization of this donor organ were achieved.
Implications:
- Expanding the donor pool is crucial to meet the demand for heart transplants.
- Careful donor selection and risk assessment can enable the use of organs from previously excluded donor populations.
- This case underscores the importance of adapting donor criteria to maximize organ utilization.
Abstract:
A cardiac donor who had undergone a previous open heart operation and who was hepatitis C positive is described. The continuing need to expand the donor pool is emphasized.