Usefulness of Portable Ultrasound for the Diagnosis of Hepatic Steatosis and Degree of Agreement With Macroscopic and Microscopic Findings of the Hepatic Graft Accepted for Transplantation.

Background: The viability of the liver pre-transplant depends on the type of donor, age, medical history, circumstances of death, result of analytics, and complementary exploration of the abdominal cavity. Abdominal ultrasound is the initial option for the assessment of previously unknown liver disease, such as the qualitative determination of hepatic steatosis . The presence of hepatic steatosis is considered a risk factor for graft failure after liver transplantation, therefore, at the time of clinical assessment of the donor or its presence in the macroscopic assessment in the operating room can be cause for rejection of the organ by the transplant teams.

The impact of the EVLP on the lung microbiome and its inflammatory reaction.

The pulmonary microbiome has emerged as a significant factor in respiratory health and diseases. Despite the sterile conditions maintained during lung perfusion (EVLP), the use of antibiotics in the perfuse liquid can lead to dynamic changes in the lung microbiome. Here, we present the design of a study that aims to investigate the hypothesis that EVLP alters the lung microbiome and induces tissue inflammation.

Grief and coping among relatives of patients who died of COVID-19 in intensive care during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The grief of relatives of patients who died of COVID-19 in an intensive care unit (ICU) has exacted an enormous toll worldwide.

Aims: To determine the prevalence of probable prolonged grief disorder (PGD) at 12 months post-loss and beyond. We also sought to examine circumstances of the death during the COVID-19 pandemic that might pose a heightened risk of PGD, and the associations between probable PGD diagnosis, quality of life and social disconnection.

Clinical Utility and Evolution of Donor Serum Lactate During Normothermic Regional Perfusion in Uncontrolled Donation After Circulatory Death.

Background: Kidney transplantation from uncontrolled donor after circulatory death (uDCD) showed a higher incidence of delayed graft function and primary failure. The aim of this study was to study basal and kinetic evolution of lactate values in uDCD preserved on normothermic regional perfusion (NRP) as a predictive factor of kidney suitability exposed to prolong ischemic conditions.

Methods: Descriptive and prospective study of a cohort of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients admitted to the emergency room as potential uDCD.

Antiphospholipase A2 receptor antibody-positive membranous nephropathy in the kidney donor: Lessons from a serendipitous transplantation.

Primary membranous nephropathy (PMN) is an autoimmune disease limited to the kidney that is characterized by the presence of circulating PLAR2 antibodies in 70% of the cases and usually positivity for PLA2R and IgG4 by immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining. We report the first documented case of PMN (PLA2R positive) in a deceased kidney donor, transplanted to two different recipients and their clinical and immunological evolution through serial biopsies. Recipient A's first allograft biopsy (Day 26) was compatible with a MN with both positive PLA2R and IgG4 subepithelial deposits in IHC.

Predictive and Comparative Study Between Clinic Consensus Document for Pancreas Acceptance and Predictive Value of Preprocurement Pancreas Allocation Suitability Score (P-PASS).

Unlabelled: The strict selection of pancreas for transplant has forced the development of different documents to select the suitable organ in order to minimize the risks and complications of the transplant. In 2008, Eurotransplant published the Preprocurement Pancreas Allocation Suitability Score (P-PASS) for pretransplant selection. In 2001 the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona developed a Clinical Consensus Document (CCD).

Outcomes From Brain Death Donors With Previous Cardiac Arrest Accepted for Pancreas Transplantation: A Single-center Retrospective Analysis.

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of cardiac arrest time (CAT) in donors after brain death (DBD) donors on pancreas transplant outcome.

Summary Of Background Data: Results from donors after circulatory death report good outcomes despite warm ischemia times up to 57 minutes. Previous cardiac arrest in DBD has been addressed as a potential risk factor, but duration of the CAT has never been evaluated.

The development of a predictive model of graft function in uncontrolled donors after circulatory death: validity of a pulsatile renal preservation machine cut-off value for kidney acceptance.

Background: The criteria for kidney suitability in uncontrolled donors after circulatory death (uDCD) procured after regional normothermic perfusion are based on macroscopic appearance and renal haemodynamic values with final renal resistance (FRR). However, these criteria have not been analysed to predict the future graft function. This study presents a model to predict the outcome in uDCD kidneys and define the predictive FRR value.

Relatives' Perception After Tissue Donation Experience: Results of a Postdonation Phone Survey.

Introduction: Postmortem tissue donation (TD) requires the establishment of strategies for family approach to clearly explain the characteristics of multi-tissue donation. In a tertiary university hospital with a long tradition of tissue generation, we designed a survey to be applied to tissue donor families to evaluate global hospital care, care from Transplant Coordinators (TC), quality and content of information given about TD, experience, and motivations after TD process.

Methodology: A prospective phone survey of 10 multiple-choice items was conducted to all TD relatives that agreed to donate one or more tissues.

Quality Assessment of Postmortem Tissue Donors in a University Hospital: Detection and Generation Tissue Indicators.

Background: Defining quality assessment and measurement tools in the area of tissue donation should be considered to be one of the most important strategies for developing health centers. The aim of this project was to identify, define, and analyze a set of indicators to assess the most important steps in the tissue donor detection and generation processes.

Methods: A prospective, descriptive, and comparative study of all potential tissue donors (TDs) detected and generated in a university hospital was performed.

Safety and Tolerability of Alveolar Type II Cell Transplantation in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive and fatal lung disease with limited response to currently available therapies. Alveolar type II (ATII) cells act as progenitor cells in the adult lung, contributing to alveolar repair during pulmonary injury. However, in IPF, ATII cells die and are replaced by fibroblasts and myofibroblasts.

Successful Pancreas Transplantation From a Deceased Donor Intoxicated With Oral Antidiabetic Agent: A Case Report.

Simultaneous kidney pancreas transplantation (SKP) is a common procedure for the patient with long-term type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) with terminal renal failure. It is unusual to consider the pancreas from a deceased donor who died after an acute intoxication with oral antidiabetic agent (OAA), which would suggest an abnormal functionality of the organ and preclude the potential use of the graft. We present a case of a successful pancreatic transplantation from a donor who died of acute cerebral edema secondary to severe hypoglycemia induced by OAA acute intoxication.

Does the Pulsatile Preservation Machine Have Any Impact in the Discard Rate of Kidneys From Older Donors After Brain Death?

Background: Donors after brain death (DBD) older than 60 years have become 46.8% of our current activity, with higher risk of renal discard rate (RDR). Assessment of kidney suitability requires complementary strategies: macroscopic evaluation, kidney biopsy score (KBS), and renal hemodynamic evaluation with the Pulsatile Perfusion Machine (PPM).

O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) protein modification is increased in the cartilage of patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Objective: There is increasing evidence that the addition of O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) to proteins plays an important role in cell signaling pathways. In chondrocytes, accumulation of O-GlcNAc-modified proteins induces hypertrophic differentiation. Osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized by cartilage degradation, and hypertrophic-like changes in hyaline chondrocytes.

[Optimising tissue donation process in a university hospital: 10 years of experience].

Background And Objective: The demand of tissue for transplants requires a continuous effort in detecting potential donors and assessing the causes of death. We aimed to assess the capacity to optimise tissue donation rates with the implementation of an active detection system of hospital deaths alongside a comprehensive assessment of the causes of death according to current international and local tissue banks' standards.

Material And Method: An early and pro-active detection programme of hospital deaths was implemented in 2002.

Perception of transplant coordinator regarding relatives' attitude toward tissue donation request.

Introduction: Family denials for tissue donation are higher than denials obtained after organ donation.

Objectives: To find out families' perception toward tissue request as well as its relation with the degree of acceptance or denial.

Materials And Methods: Following the request for tissue donation (corneas or different tissues), a five closed-question survey was designed and immediately answered by the Transplant Coordinator.

Recommendations for management of Chagas disease in organ and hematopoietic tissue transplantation programs in nonendemic areas.

The substantial immigration into Spain from endemic areas of Chagas disease such as Latin America has increased the number of potential donors of organs and tissues. In addition, an increasing number of patients with advanced Chagas heart disease may eventually be eligible to receive a heart transplant, a universally accepted therapeutic strategy for the advanced stages of this disease. Therefore, it is necessary to establish protocols for disease management.

Attitude of health professionals toward cadaveric tissue donation.

Introduction: A positive attitude toward organ donation would be expected among health professionals from transplant centers with active donor activities. However, acceptance and knowledge about cadaveric tissue donation has been insufficiently studied.

Objective: The objective of this study was to analyze the knowledge and attitude of health professionals toward cadaveric tissue donation.

Telephone consent in tissue donation: effectiveness and efficiency in postmortem tissue generation.

Unlabelled: One reason for the loss of donors is the impossibility to contact family members for an interview. We sought to determine the effectiveness [(donors/total deaths) x 100] and efficiency [(donors/potential donors) x 100] of the telephone interview to obtain tissue for transplant purposes.

Methods: A prospective, comparative cross-sectional study was performed on the personal and telephone interviews with family members during the tissue donation application process from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2005.

Comparison of a high-carbohydrate and a high-monounsaturated fat, olive oil-rich diet on the susceptibility of LDL to oxidative modification in subjects with Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Aims: To compare the effects of a high-carbohydrate (CHO) diet and a high-monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) diet on LDL oxidative resistance in free-living individuals with Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods: Twenty-two men and women out-patients with Type 2 diabetes, with mean age 61 years and in fair metabolic control (HbA1c<8.0%), were enrolled at a university hospital lipid clinic in a randomized, crossover feeding trial comparing two isocaloric diets for 6 weeks each: CHO (fat, 28% energy) and MUFA (fat, 40% energy) based on virgin olive oil.

The process of adult living liver donation.

Objective: To evaluate both the opinion that living liver donors have of the process and the psychological, economic, and social consequences of donation.

Material And Methods: Six months after the donation, an anonymous survey was sent to 22 donors of the right liver lobe between March 2000 and December 2002.

Results: 15 surveys were returned with all of the questions answered.

The living kidney donation process: the donor perspective.

Objective: To evaluate the living kidney donation (LKD) process using donors' opinions on the impact on social, emotional, and financial aspects affecting donor quality of life.

Materials And Methods: From May 2000 to December 2002, we studied 22 donors of living kidneys at the Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain, who completed an anonymous survey 6 months after donation.

Results: Most donors (86%) had themselves informed the recipient about their wish to donate, the other 14% were asked by family members.