Transplantation proceedings
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Increasing the participation of intensive care unit nurses to promote deceased donor organ donation.
Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses are viewed to have an important role in identifying potential donors to increase the donor pool. Our objectives were to assess their knowledge about organ donation, their attitudes concerning their presumed role in organ donation, and their motivation toward a more prominent role by 3 questionnaires administered before and after training on promotion of organ donation. ⋯ Active participation of ICU nurses in the identification of potential deceased donor organs and their direct participation in organ procurement though continuous re-education and video- illustrated lectures may promote an increased number of deceased donor organs.
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Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) patients are known to show decreased intraoperative anesthetic requirements compared with patients undergoing other liver surgeries. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between inhalational anesthetic requirements and the severity of liver disease among OLT patients. ⋯ OLT patients with high MELD scores showed less inhalational anesthetic requirements during the preanhepatic and the anhepatic periods than those with low MELD scores.
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The shortage of organ donors along with the increased number of waiting recipients have created the need for new strategies to expand the organ pool: living donors, split livers, domino livers, and organs from donations after cardiac death (DCD). The purpose of this article was to focus upon aspects of DCD application in the religious, traditional, ethical, and legal aspects of the Arab world. ⋯ DCD in the Arab world is more complicated than in Western countries. It should be re-evaluated and thoroughly reviewed with the new criteria for DCD and its implementation in our region.
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Heart transplantation (HTx) is indicated in children with end-stage heart failure or complex inoperable congenital defects. Because of the shortage of pediatric donor hearts, various bridge techniques have been used in pediatric patients to prolong patient survival until a suitable heart becomes available. ⋯ They are NYHA functional class I. Thus, morbidity and mortality were acceptable in this high-risk group of pediatric patients with a ventricular assist device bridging to HTx.
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Case Reports
Methylene blue used as a bridge to liver transplantation postoperative recovery: a case report.
Hepatopulmonary syndrome is defined as a triad of liver disease, arterial hypoxemia, and intrapulmonary vascular dilatation. The clinical hallmark of this disorder is the impairment of pulmonary gas exchange, not necessarily correlated with the severity of the underlying liver disease. ⋯ Herein we have described a case of a 15-year-old female patient who underwent OLT and was treated with methylene blue in the early postoperative period to improve hypoxemia. We suggest that the use of methylene blue after liver transplantation can decrease postoperative complications and mortality rates in these patients.