Thoracoabdominal normothermic regional perfusion in donation after circulatory death: variation in practice and the need for shared standards, transparency, and ethical safeguards

Description

Andrew Jacques, Giuliano Testa, and Anji Wall comment, in a 2026 article, on differing practice for a donor organ method called thoracoabdominal normothermic regional perfusion. The method restores warm blood flow to a donor's chest and belly organs after circulatory death, while blocking flow to the brain. It keeps organs viable until removal. A companion report compared programs in Colorado, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

Practice varies widely. Teams differ on when and how to place the tubes, how to control the vessels to the head, and how to prove the brain gets no flow. Laws on steps allowed before death, definitions of death, and ethics oversight all differ, shaping what each team may do. The commentators argue such variety is not wrong, yet it complicates training and public trust. They call for shared standards, open reporting, and ethical safeguards that still leave room for local rules.

Catalog record

Source: https://europepmc.org/article/MED/PMC13461929