Neonatal donation: are newborns too young to be recognized?

Neonatal organ and tissue donation is not common practice in the Netherlands. At the same time, there is a transplant waiting list for small size-matched organs and tissues. Multiple factors may contribute to low neonatal donation rates, including a lack of awareness of this option.

Lack of knowledge and experience highlights the need for a clear paediatric organ and tissue donation protocol in the Netherlands.

Aim: This study explored the attitudes of medical professionals to organ and tissue donation in paediatric intensive care units (PICUs) and neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in the Netherlands. It also examined their compliance with the existing Dutch donation protocol and assessed whether a paediatric donation protocol was needed.

Methods: We invited 966 professionals working in all eight PICUs and the two largest NICUs to complete an online survey from December 2016 until April 2017.

Rationale and design of TransplantLines: a prospective cohort study and biobank of solid organ transplant recipients.

Introduction: In the past decades, short-term results after solid organ transplantation have markedly improved. Disappointingly, this has not been accompanied by parallel improvements in long-term outcomes after transplantation. To improve graft and recipient outcomes, identification of potentially modifiable risk factors and development of biomarkers are required.

Literature overview highlights lack of paediatric donation protocols but identifies common themes that could guide their development.

Aim: Paediatric donation is a unique and extremely sensitive process that requires specific knowledge and competencies. Most countries use protocols for organ and tissue donation to ensure optimal care for the donor and family, but these mainly focus on adults. However, the donation process for children differs from adults in many ways.