Brief CommunicationThoracoabdominal normothermic regional perfusion in donation after circulatory death does not restore brain blood flow
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Thoraco-abdominal normothermic regional perfusion (TA-NRP), has made heart transplant possible following donation after circulatory death (DCD), and helped fill an urgent need for organ donors.1 However, ethical concerns have been raised that TA-NRP may restore brain blood flow and, in doing so, violate the dead donor rule.2, 3, 4 Prior to establishing TA-NRP, the brachiocephalic, left carotid, and left subclavian arteries (and/or anomalous right subclavian artery) are ligated, thereby
Disclosure statement
J.A.F., A.L., L.J., K.M., E.R., B.P., S.T.H., D.E.S., and N.M. have no relevant disclosures.
Funding
None.
Author Contributions
J.A.F. collected and analyzed data and drafted the manuscript. A.L., L.J., K.M., B.P., and E.J. participated in study design and data analyses. S.T.H., D.E.S., and N.M. collected data, participated in study design, and critically reviewed the manuscript.
Acknowledgments
The authors thank the donor families for their life-saving gift.
References (7)
- et al.
POINT: does normothermic regional perfusion violate the ethical principles underlying organ procurement? Yes
Chest
(2022) - et al.
COUNTERPOINT: does normothermic regional perfusion violate the ethical principles underlying organ procurement? No
Chest
(2022) - et al.
Reply to American Society of Transplant Surgeons recommendations on best practices in donation after circulatory death organ procurement "Questions on best practices in DCD"
Am J Transpl
(2023)