Cardiac Transplantation using DCD Donors: What is Old is New Again

Purpose / Goal

The Alliance Virtual Town hall series is established to highlight successful OPO and Transplant program relationships and the resulting donation and transplant outcomes, sharing model elements from which others may emulate successful practices.

Surgeons at Massachusetts General Hospital are among the first in the United States to perform donation after circulatory death (DCD) donor heart transplants. Dr. David D’Alessandro, Surgical Director at Mass General’s Cardiac Transplant Program will describe the current state of heart transplantation using Donation after Circulatory Death (DCD) organs. The ex-vivo perfusion approach for DCD post-recovery care, the ongoing clinical trail on DCD heart transplants, and promising outcomes will be discussed.

Learning Objectives

Key Objectives:

• Explain the challenges of DCD heart allografts.
• Explain the competing techniques.
• Describe the differences in postoperative outcomes and care.

Who Does This Benefit?

Transplant Center Professionals, Organ Procurement Organization Professionals, Quality Improvement Professionals and Leadership, OPO and Transplant Center Leadership, Directors, Managers, Clinicians, Front-line staff and Individuals interested in improving relationships between OPO and Transplant programs.