Machine perfusion or cold storage in deceased-donor kidney transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Static cold storage is generally used to preserve kidney allografts from deceased donors. Hypothermic machine perfusion may improve outcomes after transplantation, but few sufficiently powered prospective studies have addressed this possibility. METHODS: In this international randomized, controlled trial, we randomly assigned one kidney from 336 consecutive deceased donors to machine perfusion and the other to cold storage. All 672 recipients were followed for 1 year. The primary end point was delayed graft function (requiring dialysis in the first week after transplantation). Secondary end points were the duration of delayed graft function, delayed graft function defined by the rate of the decrease in the serum creatinine level, primary nonfunction, the serum creatinine level and clearance, acute rejection, toxicity of the calcineurin inhibitor, the length of hospital stay, and allograft and patient survival. RESULTS: Machine perfusion significantly reduced the risk of delayed graft function. Delayed graft function developed in 70 patients in the machine-perfusion group versus 89 in the cold-storage group (adjusted odds ratio, 0.57; P=0.01). Machine perfusion also significantly improved the rate of the decrease in the serum creatinine level and reduced the duration of delayed graft function. Machine perfusion was associated with lower serum creatinine levels during the first 2 weeks after transplantation and a reduced risk of graft failure (hazard ratio, 0.52; P=0.03). One-year allograft survival was superior in the machine-perfusion group (94% vs. 90%, P=0.04). No significant differences were observed for the other secondary end points. No serious adverse events were directly attributable to machine perfusion. CONCLUSIONS: Hypothermic machine perfusion was associated with a reduced risk of delayed graft function and improved graft survival in the first year after transplantation. (Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN83876362.)

Liver transplantation with "rescue organ offers" within the eurotransplant area: a 2-year report from the University Hospital Essen.

Liver transplantation (LTx) is the only treatment for patients with end-stage liver failure. This report focuses on 45 deceased donor liver allografts allocated through Eurotransplant as "rescue offers," which were accepted and subsequently transplanted at our center over a two-year period. These organs had been officially offered to and rejected by other transplant centers a total of 162 times prior to our acceptance. Primary nonfunction was observed in six patients. Two of them died and four were retransplanted. Overall patient survival was 84.4%. LTx with such "rescue organs" constitutes an additional transplant option and a safe mechanism to "rescue" organs within Eurotransplant.

Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhosis within the Eurotransplant area: an additional option with "livers that nobody wants".

BACKGROUND: Liver transplantation is recognized as the treatment of choice for small hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) in patients with end-stage liver failure. However, because of limited organ availability, not all those who qualify can benefit from it. METHODS: Over a 3-year period, we accepted and subsequently transplanted 10 deceased donor liver allografts allocated through Eurotransplant. These organs had been officially offered to and rejected by other transplant centers a total of 40 times due to medical or logistical reasons prior to our acceptance. They were implanted into patients in the waiting list with HCC and cirrhosis. Recipients without HCC transplanted with such "undesirable" grafts were not included in this study. RESULTS: Two patients had initial poor graft function but subsequently recovered. There was one arterial complication requiring reintervention. Median intensive care unit and hospital stays were 6 and 28 days respectively. One patient developed renal insufficiency, but recovered after 3 months. One patient developed HCC recurrence in the allograft and underwent a successful atypical liver resection 23 months after transplantation. All patients are currently alive, with follow-up periods ranging from 5 to 36 months. CONCLUSIONS: Liver transplantation with such "livers that nobody wants" constitutes an additional option for patients with HCC and cirrhosis. The risk-benefit ratio in these instances should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.