Keep Your Cool! One Year Outcomes with Use of a Hypothermic Preservation System Compared to Standard Storage with Ice During Heart Procurement

PurposeTraditionally, after procurement, donor hearts are cooled with ice during transport to the transplant center. However, this can lead uneven cooling and result in tissue injury, which may affect subsequent allograft function. The utilization of a hypothermic preservation system (SherpaPak, Paragonix) results controlled uniform cooling. This approach enable longer-distance procurements better function transplant.MethodsA single center study heart transplantation using transported on from 1/1/19-07/16/20 compared (Sherpa) 7/17/20-6/13/21. Patients were assessed for primary graft dysfunction (PGD), defined as requiring any mechanical circulatory support, length stay (LOS) transplant, one year survival.ResultsThere total 115 patients, 56 (49%) Ice 59 (51%) Sherpa. There no differences recipient's baseline demographics: mean age (54 years), male (79%), nonischemic (61%), but higher use LVAD v Sherpa (18% v. 5%, p=0.03). Donor characteristics similar: (35 (68%), white (59%), cause death (anoxia 38%, head trauma 41%, stroke 17%). median post-transplant LOS was 20 days not different between groups. Despite longer ischemic time (255 230 minutes, p=0.021), there incidence PGD (17% 14%, p=0.69); ejection fraction at 6 months (61%) 12 (61%); 1 patient survival (91% 95%, p=0.45), Figure 1a/b.ConclusionThe similar function, PGD, hospital LOS, despite times. Use safely enables more distant procurement. Traditionally, transplant. A survival. 1a/b.