Incremental Increases in Organ Retrieval after Protocol Driven Change in an Organ Procurement Organization: A 15-Year Assessment

The need for transplantable organs exceeds the available supply. Organ procurement organizations (OPOs) have undergone both voluntary and mandated changes to optimize available organs. The data from a single statewide OPO was reviewed from 1993 to 2008 and tracked with implementation of new protocols. During the study, 5548 organs were recovered with 4875 transplanted from 1441 donors (3.38 organs transplanted/donor (OTPD)). The conversion rate (CR) for consent rose from 42 to 72 per cent whereas the average age of donors increased from 33 to 45 years. After implementation of a family support liaison program, a higher performing hospital in the OPO realized an increase in CR from 57 to 97 per cent over 8 years. Implementation of an intensivist program improved OTPD. The number of standard criteria donors and extended criteria donors (ECD) increased. The increase in standard criteria donors yielded a large number of thoracic organs. ECD increased as did the organ discard rate from 8 to 16 per cent. Increases in organ retrieval were noted after incremental changes in OPO protocol. Family support and intensivist programs enhanced CR and OTPD. Increases in the number of ECD were noted with increasing age after the introduction of the intensivist program and an increase in transplant center use of these organs.