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Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1999; 47(3): 153-156
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-1013131
Original Cardiovascular

© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Effects of Modification of the Allocation System on Ischemia Duration and Costs of Heart Transplantation

T. Petzold1 , P. R. Feindt1 , G. Kalweit1 , M. C. Deng2 , C. Schmid2 , M. Fritz3 , C. Preusse4 , B. Schönfelder5 , F. Kuhn-Regnier6 , F. Schöndube7 , E. Gams1 , for the Transplantation Cooperation UNI-NRW
  • 1Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf
  • 2Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Westfälische University Münster,
  • 3Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Ruhr-University Bochum, Berufsgenossenschaftliche Kliniken “Bergmannsheil”,
  • 4Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-University Bonn,
  • 5Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital, Essen,
  • 6Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Cologne,
  • 7Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule, Aachen, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

1998

Publication Date:
19 March 2008 (online)

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Abstract

Background: In order to optimize regional utilization of transplantable thoracic organs, the seven university hospitals in North-Rhine-Westfalia have formed a transplant cooperation meanwhile approved by Eurotransplant. Methods: Heart transplant and organ donation activities of the cooperating hospitals in the year before the foundation of the cooperation (period A, 7/95 - 6/96) and in the year thereafter (period B, 7/96 - 6/97) were retrospectively analysed. Results: In period A, a total of 39 heart transplants and 74 heart donations were performed, whereas in period B 67 heart transplantations and 78 heart donations could be achieved. The regional utilization of the donor organs increased from 4% to 30% with a significantly shorter ischemia time of regionally or locally allocated donor hearts than of nationally or internationally allocated ones. Conclusions: A high rate of regional or local heart transplant procedures with short ischemia times clearly demonstrate the benefits of a regionalization of heart transplant medicine for medical as well as economical reasons.

Key words

Transplant organ allocation - Regional cooperation - Ischemia duration - Transport costs