Potential Pool of Cardiac Allografts from Donation after Circulatory Death (DCD) Donors – Predicted vs Reality in the First Year of a Clinical Program

Purpose: Heart Transplantation (Tx) is limited by the shortage of donor cardiac allograft availability. Cardiac viability from DCD donors following 30 min warm ischaemic time (WIT) has been demonstrated in pre-clinical studies and in recent clinical breakthroughs. We aimed to investigate the potential pool of heart allografts for Tx from DCD donors, and outline actual numbers in the first 12 months of a clinical program.