First Controlled Asystole Heart Explant Performed at Dénia Hospital

Significant progress at Dénia Hospital to expand the profile of potential donors. The reference centre for the entire Marina Alta has just performed its first controlled asystole heart explant. This technique allows organ donation after the irreversible cessation of circulatory activity in patients where the withdrawal of life support measures has been agreed.

The Health Department explains that performing such interventions requires following a very precise clinical protocol, necessitating the simultaneous collaboration of different teams and coordination within very strict timeframes. The previously mentioned expansion in donor profiles is due to this type of extraction allowing the recovery of organs that were not previously included in transplant circuits.

In the explant team at Dénia Hospital, around a hundred healthcare professionals are involved. Since 2023, the group has been coordinated by anaesthetists Clara Dosset and Luisa Rivera, along with nurse Mari Paz Ivars.

The team is responsible for activating protocols, assessing the viability of donation, handling administrative tasks, coordinating external team transfers, and overseeing all clinical phases of the process.

The team leaders emphasise the importance of explicitly documenting the willingness to donate organs, while also expressing gratitude for the generosity of donors and their families. The advance directives document and donor card greatly facilitate the process, although in the latter case, the family's wishes prevail.

In the Valencian Community, the advance directives document can be formalised through the Patient Care and Information Services (SAIP) of healthcare centres.

This document allows any individual to record in writing their decision to be an organ donor, as well as other instructions regarding their medical care in situations where they cannot express themselves.

Registering facilitates consultation by healthcare professionals when necessary and streamlines donation-related procedures by eliminating doubts and reducing the emotional burden on families.