Reasons for refusing a donor heart for transplantation in Brazil

BACKGROUND:Major advances have been made in heart transplantation, but there is a discrepancy between the number of patients potentially treatable by transplantation and the limited number of viable grafts. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reasons for refusal of donor hearts. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of donor data from an organ procurement organization in the state of São Paulo (Brazil) between 2010 and 2012. Fisher's exact test, Student's t-test, and the Mann-Whitney U-test were used in the statistical analysis. RESULTS: Only 26 (7.9%) of 328 potential heart donors actually became donors. Most donors were men (18/26, 69.2%), Caucasians (14/26, 53.8%), and had a mean age of 23.5 yr. There were significant associations of use of donor hearts with the variables: brain death after trauma (p = 0.002), history of hypertension (p = 0.001), electrocardiographic changes (p = 0.007), and age (p = 0.001). Older age (n = 101, 33.4%) was the main reason for refusal of donor hearts, followed by poor medical history (n = 44, 14.6%), cardiac arrest of the donor during donor care (n = 25, 8.3%), use of vasopressor drugs (n = 23, 7.6%), and hemodynamic instability (n = 20, 6.6%)...

Comparative analysis of family consent to tissue donation according to two different donation form structures.

OBJECTIVE: To define donors' profile of an Organ and Tissue Procurement Center and compare the family consent for tissue donation before and after modification of the Donation Term. METHODS: A descriptive, documentary and quantitative study performed in an Organ and Tissue Procurement Center, analyzed 111 feasible donors' charts in the period from March 13 to September 13, 2010 (1st period), and from September 14, 2010 to March 14, 2011 (2nd period), based on the modification date. RESULTS: The mean age of donors was 45.2 years, being 52.3% female. The causes of death included cerebral vascular accident (stroke) (64%), head trauma (27%), anoxic encephalopathy (2.7%), firearm injuries (2.7%) and others (3.6%). The notifications were predominantly of spontaneous origin (91%). Comparing the periods before and after the modification of the Donation Term, the donation consent for cornea increased by 17.2% and the consent for skin, bones, tendons and muscles had a discreet increase by 3.1%, 9.9% and 0.4%, respectively. On the other hand, there was decrease in consent for blood vessel (0.8%) and heart valves (4.1%) between the two periods. CONCLUSION: There was increase in family consent for donation of most tissues, but it was statistically significant only for cornea donation.

Comparative analysis of family consent to tissue donation according to two different donation form structures / Análise comparativa do consentimento familiar para doação de tecidos em função da mudança estrutural do termo de doação

Objective To define donors’ profile of an Organ and Tissue Procurement Center and compare the family consent for tissue donation before and after modification of the Donation Term. Methods A descriptive, documentary and quantitative study performed in an Organ and Tissue Procurement Center, analyzed 111 feasible donors’ charts in the period from March 13 to September 13, 2010 (1st period), and from September 14, 2010 to March 14, 2011 (2nd period), based on the modification date. Results The mean age of donors was 45.2 years, being 52.3% female. The causes of death included cerebral vascular accident (stroke) (64%), head trauma (27%), anoxic encephalopathy (2.7%), firearm injuries (2.7%) and others (3.6%). The notifications were predominantly of spontaneous origin (91%). Comparing the periods before and after the modification of the Donation Term, the donation consent for cornea increased by 17.2% and the consent for skin, bones, tendons and muscles had a discreet increase by 3.1%, 9.9% and 0.4%, respectively. On the other hand, there was decrease in consent for blood vessel (0.8%) and heart valves (4.1%) between the two periods. Conclusion There was increase in family consent for donation of most tissues, but it was statistically significant only for cornea donation. .

Objetivo Traçar o perfil dos doadores viabilizados por um Serviço de Procura de Órgãos e Tecidos e comparar o consentimento familiar para doação de tecidos antes e após esta modificação do Termo de Doação. Método Estudo descritivo, documental, quantitativo, realizado em um Serviço de Procura de Órgãos e Tecidos, analisou 111 prontuários de doadores viabilizados nos períodos de 13 de março a 13 de setembro de 2010 (1o Período) e de 14 de Setembro de 2010 a 14 de Março de 2011 (2o período), selecionados com base na data desta modificação. Resultado Foi encontrada média de idade de 45,2 anos entre os doadores, sendo 52,3% do sexo feminino. As causas de morte incluem acidente vascular encefálico (64%), traumatismos cranioencefálicos (27%), encefalopatias anóxicas (2,7%), ferimentos por arma de fogo (2,7%) e outras (3,6%). As notificações foram predominantemente de origem espontânea (91%). Comparando os períodos antes e após a modificação do Termo de Doação, o consentimento para doação de córneas apresentou aumento de 17,2% e para doação de pele, ossos, tendões e músculos, discreto aumento de 3,1%, 9,9% e 0,4% respectivamente. Por sua vez, apresentou discreta diminuição o consentimento de vasos sanguíneos, de 0,8%, e valvas cardíacas de 4,1%, entre os períodos. Conclusão Obteve-se um aumento do consentimento familiar para a doação da maioria dos tecidos, porém com significância estatística apenas para doação de córneas. .