BMJ  2006;332:376-377 (18 February), doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7538.376

Editorial

Liver transplantation from non-heart beating donors

A promising way to increase the supply of organs

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Since its inception in the 1960s liver transplantation has seen such improvements in patient selection, surgical technique, perioperative care, and immunosuppression that it is now the treatment of choice for patients with liver failure. Indeed, like most other solid organ transplants, liver transplantation has become a victim of its own success with more patients now on the waiting list as the number of organ donors declines. Among the various approaches to increasing the number of donors, one of the most promising is the use of non-heart beating donors.

In general, liver donation rates are poor in the UK (13 per million population compared with 33 per million in Spain, the best in Europe; www.uktransplant.org). To use this scarce resource most effectively clinicians are restricting access to transplantation to patients with a 50% chance of survival at five years. This restrictive listing excludes many patients, particularly those with hepatocellular . . . [Full text of this article]

Department of Organ Transplantation, St James's University Hospital Leeds, Leeds LS9 7TF (steve_islets@hotmail.com)

Department of Organ Transplantation, St James's University Hospital Leeds, Leeds LS9 7TF

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This article has been cited by other articles:

• Thomas, I., Caborn, S., Manara, A. R. (2008). Experiences in the development of non-heart beating organ donation scheme in a regional neurosciences intensive care unit. Br J Anaesth 100: 820-826 [Abstract] [Full text]  

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