BACKGROUND: On 1 July 2007 a new transplant law came into force in Switzerland. The principal item of this new law is the change from centre-oriented allocation to patient-oriented national allocation of organs. The aim of the present study is to assess the impact on cold ischaemia time (CIT) and transport requirements. METHODS: From 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2008 168 brain-dead donors were registered by Swisstransplant in Switzerland. Donors have been analysed in a retrospective cohort study design. Donor characteristics, transportation requirements and CIT were assessed from the Necroreport. RESULTS: 74 donors (44%) were allocated in the period before the introduction of the new law (period A) and 94 donors (56%) after the new law. Donor characteristics were similar. In period A, 114 organs (37.9%) were allocated within the procurement centre, compared to 54 organs (15.5%) in period B. Transport time for liver and kidney was remarkably longer in period B. Overall, CITs remained largely stable except for a significant increase of nearly 115 minutes in the liver graft median CIT (p <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The new Swiss transplant law clearly entails an increase in the frequency of organ transports. Overall CIT is not affected. However, liver transplantation is afflicted by an increase in transports and CIT. This may affect mid-term outcome and should therefore be followed closely.
BACKGROUND: On 1 July 2007 a new transplant law came into force in Switzerland. The principal item of this new law is the change from centre-oriented allocation to patient-oriented national allocation of organs. The aim of the present study is to assess the impact on cold ischaemia time (CIT) and transport requirements. METHODS: From 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2008 168 brain-dead donors were registered by Swisstransplant in Switzerland. Donors have been analysed in a retrospective cohort study design. Donor characteristics, transportation requirements and CIT were assessed from the Necroreport. RESULTS: 74 donors (44%) were allocated in the period before the introduction of the new law (period A) and 94 donors (56%) after the new law. Donor characteristics were similar. In period A, 114 organs (37.9%) were allocated within the procurement centre, compared to 54 organs (15.5%) in period B. Transport time for liver and kidney was remarkably longer in period B. Overall, CITs remained largely stable except for a significant increase of nearly 115 minutes in the liver graft median CIT (p <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The new Swiss transplant law clearly entails an increase in the frequency of organ transports. Overall CIT is not affected. However, liver transplantation is afflicted by an increase in transports and CIT. This may affect mid-term outcome and should therefore be followed closely.
Authors: Joseph R Scalea; Stephen Restaino; Matthew Scassero; Gil Blankenship; Stephen T Bartlett; Norman Wereley Journal: IEEE J Transl Eng Health Med Date: 2018-11-06 Impact factor: 3.316
Authors: Stephanie Klinzing; Giovanna Brandi; Dimitri A Raptis; Urs Wenger; Denise Weber; Paul A Stehberger; Ilhan Inci; Markus Béchir Journal: Transplant Res Date: 2014-04-01
Authors: Alexander Morgan Capron; Elmi Muller; Gilad Erlich; Manoj John; Ric Esther Bienstock; Mark McCarren; Robin Palmer; Nancy Scheper-Hughes; Dina Siegel; Jordan Yankov Journal: Transplant Direct Date: 2016-01-04