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. 2024 Oct 1;7(10):e2440130.
doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.40130.

Normothermic Regional Perfusion Experience of Organ Procurement Organizations in the US

Marty T Sellers  1   2 , Jennifer L Philip  3 , Aleah L Brubaker  4   2 , Roxane L Cauwels  5 , Kristopher P Croome  2   6 , Jordan R Hoffman  7 , Nikole A Neidlinger  3 , Andrea M Reynolds  1 , Anji E Wall  2   8 , John M Edwards  1
Affiliations

Normothermic Regional Perfusion Experience of Organ Procurement Organizations in the US

Marty T Sellers et al. JAMA Netw Open. .

Abstract

Importance: Despite the unmet need for donor organs, organ use from donation after circulatory determination of death (DCD) donors has been limited by inferior transplant outcomes. Normothermic regional perfusion (NRP) improves recipient outcomes and organ utilization from DCD donors. There is variability in NRP policies and experience among US organ procurement organizations (OPOs).

Objectives: To determine OPO experience, identify operational inconsistencies, and explore needs related to NRP.

Design, setting, and participants: This survey study included 55 OPOs in the US that had recovered DCD organs and completed a survey on operational, administrative, and educational components related to NRP in November to December 2023. Data analysis was performed from February to April 2024.

Main outcome and measures: The primary outcome was the number of OPOs participating in and/or anticipating NRP participation. Secondary outcomes were NRP implementation barriers, OPO education practices, and future needs regarding consensus NRP recommendations and standards.

Results: Of 55 respondents, 11 (20%) were chief executive officers, 8 (15%) were chief operating officers, and 36 (65%) were medical directors or chief clinical officers. Forty-nine OPOs facilitated NRP cases: 26 OPOs (53%) facilitated both thoracoabdominal NRP (TA-NRP) and abdominal NRP (A-NRP) cases, 16 OPOs (33%) facilitated only TA-NRP, and 7 OPOs (14%) facilitated only A-NRP. OPOs reported 606 NRP cases (421 TA-NRP [69%], 185 A-NRP [31%]); median (range) case experience was 8 (1-52). Fifty-two of 55 OPOs (95%) thought standardized guidance documents would be helpful. All 49 OPOs facilitated NRP at a transplant center's request; 39 (80%) had NRP initiated by a nonlocal transplant center. Twenty-three of 49 OPOs (47%) participated in NRP without a policy and without a policy pending approval. Positive donor hospital feedback was received by 29 OPOs (59%), primarily focused on increased organs transplanted and prerecovery communication. Allocation challenges were experienced by 21 OPOs (43%); their median (range) case volume was higher than those with no reported allocation challenges (11 [3-52] vs 6.5 [1-29]; P = .03). Eleven OPOs (22%) had incorporated NRP into general donor hospital education.

Conclusions: In this survey study of US OPOs, wide variation existed with respect to NRP experience and practice. Allocation challenges occurred more frequently with increased NRP experience. NRP guidelines and standardization were desired by most OPOs to decrease allocation challenges and maximize the gift of organ donation.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Dr Hoffman reported being a former shareholder of Transmedics outside the submitted work. No other disclosures were reported.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Normothermic Regional Perfusion (NRP) Experience and Case Volume Among Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs)
NRP experience among 55 OPOs (A) and case volume among 49 OPOs with NRP experience (B). A-NRP indicates abdominal NRP; DCD, donation after circulatory determination of death; TA-NRP, thoracoabdominal NRP.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.. Normothermic Regional Perfusion (NRP) Case Volume by Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) Region
A-NRP indicates abdominal NRP; TA-NRP, thoracoabdominal NRP.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.. Thoracoabdominal Normothermic Regional Perfusion (TA-NRP) and Abdominal NRP (A-NRP) Case Volume per Organ Procurement Organization (Deidentified)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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