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L E T T E R T O T H E E D I T O R Transpl Int (1996) 9:438 �9 Springer-Verlag 1996
Francis R o b i c s e k
Cadaver hearts as donor grafts
Received: 9 February 1996 Accepted: 8 March 1996
Sir: A lot has been said and even more has been written recently about the fea- sibility of cadaveric heart transplanta- tion. In this regard we would like to call at tention to our work done in 1969 [2] in which we presented observations on the resuscitability of hearts r emoved from cadavers to be used a "donor hearts". While the bulk of these studies was done in the canine model, observations on four human cadaver hearts were also in- cluded and, as far as we know, it is the first such observat ion in the medical lit- erature.
Four patients who died of noncardiac causes were taken immedia te ly to the
autopsy suite after pronunciat ion of clinial death. Through a midline sternot- omy incision, the heart and lungs were r emoved en bloc, at tached to an already set-up cardiopulmonary circuit, and per- fused for a per iod of 45 min. The t ime that elapsed f rom clinical death to per- fusion varied from 32 to 56 min. Follow- ing the 45 min of perfusion, two of the four hearts resumed sinus rhythym spontaneously, one had to be defibrill- ated, and the last could not be resuscit- ated. The heart and lungs were then conver ted into autoperfusing heart- lung preparat ions [1] that were endotracheal- ly intubated and al lowed to function on their own. The three autoperfusing hu- man heart- lung preparat ions funct ioned satisfactorily for 15 min, 2 h, and 4 h, re- spectively.
While this ground-breaking experi- ment did not prove long-range function- al integrity, it clearly indicated that the human cadaver hearts could be resusci- tated following limited periods of warm
anoxia and that they do have potential as donor grafts for transplantation.
References
1. Robicsek F, Sanger PW, Taylor FH (1963) Simple method of keeping the heart "alive" and functioning outside the body for prolonged periods. Surgery 53: 525
2. Tam W, Robicsek F, Daugherty HK (1969) The autoperfusing heart-lung preparation: a vehicle for the preserva- tion of resuscitated cadaver heart. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 58:879-885
E Robicsek Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, NC, USA Fax: + 17043721249
Transpl Int (1996) 9:438 �9 Springer-Verlag 1996
Sandoz ESOT Study Grants: Transplantation Call for Applications
Sixth Alexis Carrel Conference on Chronic Rejection and Graft Atherosclerosis 4-7 December 1996, Banff, Alberta, Canada
Sandoz Pharma Ltd. offers annual study grants totaling SFr. 40 000.- to individuals in- volved in the clinical or experimental fields of transplantation. Each study has to be per- formed in a country situated in Europe that is not the country in which the ap-plicant is cur- rently working. There will have to be a specific purpose with a clear study goal. The period for which an applicant may apply for financial support can vary from one to several weeks or months. Congress visits will be excluded from any study grant. The Council of the European Society for Organ Transplantation (E.S.O.T.) will administer the Sandoz ESOT Study Grants. The selection and final decision will be made by the Council. Applications must be in English, should specify the purpose of the
The Sixth International Alexis Carrel Confer- ence will be held in Banff, Canada, from Wednesday through Saturday, 4-7 December 1996. The meeting is aimed at transplant phy- sicians, surgeons, pathologists and immunolo- gists, as well as health care professionals with an interest in transplantation.
study, and should be supported with relevant documentation, including a full curriculum vi- tae. The application must be signed by the head of the de-partment/program where the study will take place. Neither the heads of the departments nor the applicant necessarily has to be a member of E.S.O.T.
Applications should be sent to: Professor C. Hammer, Institut ftir Chirurgische Forschung der Universit~it Mtinchen, Klinikum Grosshadern, Marchioninistrasse 15; D-81377 Mtinehen, Germany.
Envelopes should be deafly marked "Sandoz ESOT Study Grant."
For information regarding registration and ab- stracts, please contact the conference organizer." Dr. Leendert C. Paul, St. Michael's Hospi- tal, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1W8, Canada; Tel.: +14168673701; Fax: +141686737 09; Email: [email protected].
