Delete
Doctors at Alicante General Hospital during a transplant. TA
Half of Organ Donations at Alicante General Hospital Occur Through Controlled Asystole

Half of Organ Donations at Alicante General Hospital Occur Through Controlled Asystole

This procedure increases the number of donors and patients eligible for transplants

Pau Sellés

Alicante

Martes, 21 de enero 2025, 16:30

At the Doctor Balmis University General Hospital, the Controlled Asystole Donation (CAD) program has been enhanced over the past year with the addition of a mobile ECMO team to support and assist donations from hospitals across the province of Alicante.

In 2024, 40 procedures have been carried out, 17 in Alicante and 23 in various hospitals throughout the province, with a donation efficiency exceeding 90%. This means that nearly 50% of donations are currently performed in this context.

Controlled Asystole Donation occurs in patients with irreversible and non-recoverable organ damage (patients with catastrophic brain damage, neurodegenerative, cardiac, or respiratory diseases in the terminal phase), who die from controlled cardiorespiratory arrest and whose organ blood flow is restored using extracorporeal circulation devices (ECMO).

"It is a complex procedure requiring the coordinated intervention of many highly qualified professionals, allowing for an increase in the number of donors and patients eligible for transplants, offering organs of optimal quality," emphasized Dr. Miguel Perdiguero, Head of Transplant Coordination at the Alicante centre.

Additionally, for the first time in the province, with the intervention of the Sant Joan d'Alacant and Doctor Balmis Hospitals, supported by the La Fe transplant team, two cardiac donations in controlled asystole have been carried out, a program in which Spain, and particularly La Fe, is a world leader.

Considering the different types of donation, last year the centre recorded 37 donors and the province a total of 92 donors, 49 in brain death, 3 living donations, and 38 through the adjustment of life support treatment, two of the latter in a euthanasia context.

"This has been possible because 86% of potential donors and their families say yes to donation, a figure above the 84% average in the Valencian Community and the national average of 80%," noted Dr. Perdiguero. He also recalled that "solidarity in this case knows no borders or autonomies. Nor nationalities, as 18% of donors are from other countries."

This activity has enabled a total of 144 solid organ transplants in the province, of which the Doctor Balmis Hospital has performed 104, including 35 liver transplants and 69 kidney transplants, and the Elche Hospital, a total of 40 kidney transplants. This marks a historic record and places patients on the kidney transplant waiting list with the same transplant opportunities as other patients in the Valencian Community.

"Regarding liver transplants, six cases have been due to the 'Zero Urgency' concept, meaning the first compatible liver in Spain was for one of these patients who, if not transplanted within 24-48 hours, would have lost their lives. To successfully carry out these highly complex operations, coordinated work with the ONT is necessary, as well as the involvement of around a hundred professionals from all fields," explained the specialist.

Additionally, the Doctor Balmis Hospital has recorded 54 autologous hematology transplants and 78 corneal transplants, totaling 236 transplants performed in the past year.

In the Valencian Community, the 2024 data reflects a historic record in transplants performed and organ donors, with a total of 696 organ transplants and 305 donors.

"From the Transplant Coordination, we want to thank the effort made by the renal and hepatic transplant teams, considering that during the last year several professionals of recognized prestige and capacity have left the teams due to retirement or relocation and the great difficulty in training highly qualified professionals dedicated to transplantation. For example, during December and the first week of January, we registered six donors, enabling 14 kidney transplants and 4 liver transplants, highlighting the commitment and effort of the teams," concluded the Transplant Coordinator.

Publicidad

Publicidad

Publicidad

Publicidad

Esta funcionalidad es exclusiva para registrados.

Reporta un error en esta noticia

* Campos obligatorios

todoalicante Half of Organ Donations at Alicante General Hospital Occur Through Controlled Asystole