AM23-ST-11-O: Perfusion, Not Transfusion: Providing Blood Products for Organ Perfusion Before Transplantation (Enduring)

Transfusion services typically issue blood to patients. Using new devices for normothermic perfusion of donor organs before transplantation presents opportunities for transfusion services to provide blood for organ perfusion rather than transfusion. These perfusion devices and techniques are poised to increase, as clinical trials have found them beneficial in increasing transplantations and reducing post-transplant complications. The process differs from routine hospital-based transfusions; the transfusion service from the transplant recipient’s hospital provides blood products to its organ procurement team, which utilizes them in organ procurement at the donor hospital and ex vivo perfusion before transplant. Accordingly, special procedures for blood product record-keeping, logistics, transportation, and billing are required. This session will review the provision of blood for organ perfusion from both transplant surgery and transfusion service perspectives.