Factors Associated With the Use of Hypothermic Machine Perfusion in Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Delayed graft function (DGF) is associated with an increased risk of graft loss. The use of cold hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) has been shown to reduce the incidence of DGF in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs), especially when extended-criteria donors (ECDs) are used. HMP can also improve graft survival.

The Suitability of Potential Organ Donors Using Real Case-Scenarios; Do we Need to Create a "Donor Board" Process for Donors Perceived as Unlikely Suitable?

Despite availability of selection criteria, different interpretations can lead to variability in the appreciation of donor eligibility with possible viable organs missed. Our primary objective was to test the perception of feasibility of potential organ donors through the survey of a small sample of external evaluators. Clinical scenarios summarizing 66 potential donors managed in the first year of our Organ Recovery Center were sent to four critical care physicians to evaluate the feasibility of the potential donors and the probability of organ procurement.

Early experience with critically ill patients with COVID-19 in Montreal.

Purpose: Montreal has been the epicentre of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Canada. Given the regional disparities in incidence and mortality in the general population, we aimed to describe local characteristics, treatments, and outcomes of critically ill COVID-19 patients in Montreal.

Methods: A single-centre retrospective cohort of consecutive adult patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal with confirmed COVID-19 were included.

Exploring the experiences and perspectives of substitute decision-makers involved in decisions about deceased organ donation: a qualitative study protocol.

Introduction: In Canada, deceased organ donation provides over 80% of transplanted organs. At the time of death, families, friends or others assume responsibility as substitute decision-makers (SDMs) to consent to organ donation. Despite their central role in this process, little is known about what barriers, enablers and beliefs influence decision-making among SDMs.

Right ventricular dysfunction in neurologically deceased organ donors: An observational study in a tertiary-care organ donor referral centre.

Purpose: Right ventricular RV dysfunction among transplant recipients correlates with transplant outcome, but its frequency in donors is unknown. The purpose of this study was to describe the epidemiology of RV dysfunction in potential heart donors."

Methods: In a seven-year retrospective study of potential heart donors, we explored the incidence of RV dysfunction as observed on echocardiography and explored the association of four distinct factors with RV dysfunction: brain injury diagnosis, thoracic trauma, vasopressin infusion and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction.

A Canadian survey of critical care physicians' hemodynamic management of deceased organ donors.

Purpose: We sought to characterize Canadian physicians' perspectives and stated practices regarding their hemodynamic care of deceased organ donors.

Methods: We designed a 24-item electronic survey that was independently pretested for relevance, clarity, and intra-rater reliability by ten critical care clinicians. With the help of provincial organ donation organizations (ODO), we identified intensive care units (ICUs) with a high volume of adult deceased donors (defined by the management of five or more donors per year for two consecutive years).

Organ donor management and delayed graft function in kidney transplant recipients: A multicenter retrospective cohort study.

Meeting donor management goals (DMGs) has been reported to decrease the incidence of delayed graft function (DGF) after kidney transplant, but whether this relationship is independent of cold machine perfusion is unclear. We aimed to determine whether meeting DMGs is associated with a reduced incidence of DGF, independent of the use of machine perfusion. We collected data on consecutive brain-dead donors and their KT recipients (KTRs) between June 2013 and December 2016 in 5 adult transplant centers.

End-of-Life Issues in Cardiac Critical Care: The Option of Organ Donation.

Despite important advances in the care of postcardiac arrest patients, severe brain injury remains one of the major causes of death in the cardiac intensive care unit. Neurological prognostication after cardiac arrest has evolved significantly since the introduction of therapeutic hypothermia. It now relies on a multimodal approach and a minimal observation period of 72 hours is usually advocated.

Stability of levothyroxine injection in glass, polyvinyl chloride, and polyolefin containers.

Purpose: The 24-hour stability of a levothyroxine solution admixed and stored in three common infusion containers and infused through polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubing was evaluated.

Methods: Levothyroxine sodium 1-μg/mL injection prepared in glass bottles and PVC and polyolefin bags were assayed using high-performance liquid chromatography at 0, 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 hours; samples drawn directly from the containers, as well as from the distal end of attached PVC tubing, were assayed. The area under the time-versus-concentration curve (AUC) for predicted and delivered doses was calculated; analysis of variance was used for comparison of the percentages of predicted and actual AUC values.