Transplantation of Kidneys From Donors Whose Heart Have Stopped Beating

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This study assessed the efficacy of transplanting kidneys from donors without heartbeats. Using data from the Kidney Transplant Registry, researchers found that transplantation from non-heart-beating donors were often successful at one year and should be considered a reasonable method to increase overall kidney transplant supply. Kidneys from donors who had undergone a unrecoverable trauma had the highest rate of success (vs. death from other causes). In the early period, these kidneys did not function as well, causing recipients to undergo dialysis in the first week after transplant. By one year, the success rate was comparable to kidneys obtained from brain dead patients. Kidneys from donors without heartbeats could represent a considerable supply for transplantation. Some estimate these kidneys could double the number of kidneys available for transplant and should be used to decrease the waiting list for kidneys.