Solid Organ Donation From Brain-dead Donors With Cardiorespiratory Arrest After Snow Avalanche Burial: A Retrospective Single-center Study.

Abstract

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.

• Authors: Lukas Gasteiger, Gabriel Putzer, Regina Unterpertinger, Benno Cardini, Stefan Schneeberger, Stephan Eschertzhuber, Peter Mair
• Journal: Transplantation (Transplantation) Vol. 106 Issue 3 Pg. 584-587 (03 01 2022) ISSN: 1534-6080 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 33859150 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

Topics

• Avalanches
• Brain
• Brain Death
• Humans
• Retrospective Studies
• Snow
• Tissue Donors
• Tissue and Organ Procurement