Current status and prospects of donor evaluation and management for kidney transplantation from donors after cardiac death

Abstract

While revised Organ Transplant Act has been enforced and the number of organ donation from brain dead donors is increasing, the kidney donation after cardiac death (DCD) will be also performed as before. The recent results of cadaveric renal transplants using DCD kidneys in Japan are comparable to the results of selected centers in Europe and the United States. The in situ regional cooling technique using machine perfusion was developed to shorten warm ischemic time;this technique has been especially improved in our facilities. This review mentions the current status and prospects of donor evaluation and management for kidney transplantation from DCD.