Geographic Variation in Cold Ischemia Time: Kidney vs. Liver Transplantation in the United States, 2003-2011.

Background: Regional variations in kidney and liver transplant outcomes have been reported, but their causes remain largely unknown. This study investigated variations in kidney and liver cold ischemia times (CITs) across Organ Procurement Organizations (OPO) as potential causes of variations in transplant outcomes.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed the Standard Transplant Analysis and Research (STAR) data of deceased donor kidney (n=61,335) and liver (n=39,285) transplants performed between 2003 and 2011.

Redesigning Organ Allocation Boundaries for Liver Transplantation in the United States.

Geographic disparities in access to and outcomes in transplantation have been a persistent problem widely discussed by transplant researchers and the transplant community. One of the alleged causes of disparities in the United States is administratively determined organ allocation boundaries that limit organ sharing across regions. This paper applies mathematical programming to construct alternative liver allocation boundaries that achieve more geographic equity in access to transplants than the current system.