Maximizing donors' gifts: A comparison of actual and expected solid organ yield among VCA donors.

Vascularized Composite Allograft (VCA) transplantation provides life-changing transplants, but VCA adds complexity to the donation process and timing, possibly impeding solid organ donation. Expanding upon descriptive analyses, this study examines risk-adjusted predictions versus the observed number of organs donated by VCA donors. Our cohort included VCA donors in the United States during January 1, 2008-December 31, 2017 (n = 51), using OPTN Deceased Donor Registration Form data and the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) donor yield models to calculate observed-to-expected (O:E) yield ratios. Almost all VCA donors' livers (48/51; 94.1%) and kidneys (92/102; 90.2%) were transplanted, with fewer hearts (28/51; 54.9%), lungs (46/102; 45.1%), pancreata (15/51; 29.4%), and intestines (3/51; 5.9%) transplanted. O:E ratios for overall organ yield were slightly greater than expected for VCA donors (1.10; 95% CI: 1.02-1.17). Liver (1.17: 1.08-1.27) and lung yields (1.38: 1.07-1.68) were both greater than expected, while kidney, heart, and pancreas yields were similar to expected. Across VCA types, bilateral upper limb and abdominal wall donors had better-than-expected yields while uterus, face, and unilateral upper limb donors all had similar-to-expected yields. Solid organ yield among VCA donors was as good or better than predicted, suggesting that VCA donation does not compromise recovery and transplantation of lifesaving organs.

US deceased kidney transplantation: Estimated GFR, donor age and KDPI association with graft survival.

BACKGROUND: Despite a significant shortage of kidneys for transplantation in the US, kidneys from older deceased donors are infrequently transplanted. This is primarily over concern of graft quality and transplant durability. METHODS: The US national transplant database (2000-2018) was assessed for deceased donor kidney transplant patient and graft survival, graft durability and stratified by donor age (<65 years>), Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI) and estimated glomerual filtration rate (GFR) one year post-transplantation (eGFR-1) were calculated. FINDINGS: Recipients of kidneys transplanted from deceased donors >65 years had a lower eGFR-1, (median 39 ml/min) than recipients of younger donor kidneys (median 54 ml/min). However, death-censored graft survival, stratified by eGFR-1, demonstrated similar survival, irrespective of donor age or KDPI. The durability of kidney survival decreases as the achieved eGFR-1 declines. KDPI has a poor association with eGFR-1 and lesser for graft durability. While recipients of kidneys > 65 years had a higher one year mortality than younger kidney recipients, recipients of kidneys > 65 years and an eGFR-1 <30 ml/min, had a lower survival than an untransplanted waitlist cohort (p<0.001). INTERPRETATION: The durability of kidney graft survival after transplantation was associated with the amount of kidney function gained through the transplant (eGFR-1) and the rate of graft loss (return to dialysis) was not significantly associated with donor age. 24.9% of recipients of older donor kidneys failed to achieve sufficient eGFR-1 providing a transplant survival benefit. While there is significant benefit from transplanting older kidneys, better decision-making tools are required to avoid transplanting kidneys that provide insufficient renal function. FUNDING: None.