Transplanting thoracic COVID-19 positive donors: An institutional protocol and report of the first 14 cases.

ABSTRACT: We present our institution's protocol for evaluating and transplanting thoracic organs from COVID-19 positive donors and report the outcomes to date. Hearts from donors testing positive for COVID-19 on any test were eligible for transplantation at our institution provided the donor exhibited no evidence of hypercoagulability or COVID-19 induced hyperinflammatory state during terminal hospitalization. Lungs were eligible if the donor first tested PCR positive on nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) for COVID-19 > 20 days prior to procurement and had a negative lower respiratory tract specimen. We performed 14 thoracic transplants in 13 recipients using organs from COVID-19 positive donors. None of the recipients or healthcare members acquired COVID-19. No recipients suffered unexpected acute rejection

SUBMITTER: Eichenberger EM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9245398 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature