Development of Non heart-beating donor programs for kidney transplantation in Italy: A perspective view

Abstract

Summary: Kidney transplantation is the best treatment available for patients with end-stage renal disease. There are three categories of donors: living donors (LD), brain death (DBD) or cardiac death (DCD) kidney donors. In this review we analyze the current scenario of DCD renal transplantation in Europe and in Italy. In Italy DCD donation has not yet been significantly developed because of the obstacle of the 20 min no touch period after cardiac arrest, before cannulating and perfusing organs to be recovered. This procedure is requested by current Italian law and is not going to be changed in the near future.We analyze problems rising from this law and suggest possible solutions.