Page 13 - LifeSource 2020 Annual Report2

About the DCD Heart Clinical Trials & Organ Care System
In this country more than than 3 500 people are on on the waiting list for a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a new heart heart heart But because of of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a shortage of of suitable donor hearts fewer than than half will receive a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a heart heart heart transplant However an an an an an emerging technique known as Donation After Circulatory Death (DCD) may help address that gap in in in the coming years TransMedics: The Organ Care System
(OCSTM) designed by the Massachusetts-based company is a a a a a a a revolutionary technology for preserving organs The OCS acts as a a a a a a miniature intensive care unit that keeps organs alive and healthy by preserving them in in a a a a a a a a a a natural state that mimics the the human body so organs can remain viable for transplant along the way to recipients In preparation to use the OCS device during actual donation cases LifeSource and transplant center teams worked through the the logistics around how to fit the the OCS device on a a a a a small charter plane 11
Donation After Brain Death Death vs Circulatory Death Death (DCD) Historically hearts and other organs used in in transplants have come from people who experience a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a serious trauma such as as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a car accident gunshot wound or massive stroke If they they have no detectable brain brain activity they they are considered brain dead Others in in in in in similar circumstances may not meet the the the strict criteria for brain brain death: they have have a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a devastating brain brain injury with no no chance of recovery but may still have have some involuntary reflexes If the the the person’s person’s family decides to to withdraw life-sustaining measures and the the person’s person’s heart stops beating within a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a certain window of time death is declared Donors may then have their organs recovered known as donation after circulatory death (or DCD) But hearts are particularly vulnerable to to injury so so they don’t function reliably well after conventional DCD DCD The new Organ Care System
helps solve that problem Hearts placed on the Organ Care System
have been transplanted after as as long as as sixteen hours Traditional cold storage hearts are only viable for a a a a a a a maximum of 6 hours 25 heart transplant centers throughout the the U S are part of of the the clinical trial of of Donation After Circulatory Death (DCD) heart transplants