Current status and prospect of global development of lung transplantation

During the novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) pandemic from 2020 to 2021, lung transplantation entered a new stage of development worldwide. Globally, more than 70 000 cases of lung transplantation have been reported to the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT). With the development of medical techniques over time, the characteristics of lung transplant donors and recipients and the indications of pediatric lung transplantation recipients have undergone significant changes. Application of lung transplantation in the treatment of COVID-19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) has also captivated worldwide attention. Along with persistent development of lung transplantation, it will be integrated with more novel techniques to make breakthroughs in the fields of artificial lung and xenotransplantation. In this article, research progresses on the characteristics of lung transplant donors and recipients around the world were reviewed and the development trend was predicted, enabling patients with end-stage lung disease to obtain more benefits from the development of lung transplantation technique.Copyright © 2022 Organ Transplantation. All rights reserved.

The Year in Cardiothoracic Transplant Anesthesia: Selected Highlights From 2021 Part II: Cardiac Transplantation.

This article spotlights the research highlights of this year that specifically pertain to the specialty of anesthesia for heart transplantation. This includes the research on recent developments in the selection and optimization of donors and recipients, including the use of donation after cardiorespiratory death and extended criteria donors, the use of mechanical circulatory support and nonmechanical circulatory support as bridges to transplantation, the effect of COVID-19 on heart transplantation candidates and recipients, and new advances in the perioperative management of these patients, including the use of echocardiography and postoperative outcomes, focusing on renal and cerebral outcomes.

With a focus on Asia and a global perspective: sustainable development of donation after brain death

Organ shortage is a prevalent problem within the global transplantation community. World Health Organization (WHO) calls on all countries to achieve self-sufficiency in organ transplantation by reducing the burden of diseases and expanding the effective source of organs in line with ethical principles. Donation after brain death (DBD) remains the major source of transplant organs. In recent years, some Asian countries, including China, have actively promoted the development of donation from deceased organs, which are gradually reshaping the situation of living organ donation as the main source of transplant organs in Asia. The outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 slowed down the growth trend of global organ donation and transplantation in the past decade. On the premise that the burden of disease and the need for transplantation have not been significantly reduced, the work of organ donation and transplantation in China has been steadily carried out under the guidance of the general policy of epidemic prevention and control and relevant policies of “Put people and their lives first, and adhere to the dynamic zero-Covid policy”. This proves to a certain extent that under the continuous drive of the people’s medical demands and transplant demands, China has formed an organ donation and transplant work system with resilience, pressure resistance, operational inertia and the survival of the industry. Look at Asia from China, and look at the world from Asia. In this article, by compiling relevant data of organ donation and transplantation in Asia and around the world, the changes of the overall pattern of organ donation and transplantation in Asia during the new developmental trend of global organ transplantation were illustrated, the influencing factors of DBD were identified by analyzing the developmental characteristics and practical experience, and corresponding effective strategies were proposed, aiming to provide professional reference for sustainable and healthy development of organ donation and transplantation in China and throughout Asia. (English) [ FROM AUTHOR]

Organ donation after cardiac death in Japan

In Japan, since the revision of the Organ Transplant Law in July 2010, donation after brain death (DBD) has increased, while donation after cardiac death (DCD), which has been mainly used by kidney transplantation, has decreased. The number of DCD donors decreased from 98 in 2009 to 28 in 2019. There is no clear reason for the decrease in DCD donors. Furthermore, since 2020, there has been a marked decrease in DCD due to the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic. On the other hand, the outcomes after kidney transplantation from DCD donors are improving year by year. The outcomes of kidney transplantation from DCD donors in Japan are comparable to those of kidney transplantation from DBD donors in Western countries. In order to further improve transplantation outcomes from DCD donors, the clinical introduction of continuous machine perfusion preservation technology, for the purpose of reducing ischemic reperfusion injury, is expected in Japan.

Current status and prospect of global development of lung transplantation

During the novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) pandemic from 2020 to 2021, lung transplantation entered a new stage of development worldwide. Globally, more than 70 000 cases of lung transplantation have been reported to the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT). With the development of medical techniques over time, the characteristics of lung transplant donors and recipients and the indications of pediatric lung transplantation recipients have undergone significant changes. Application of lung transplantation in the treatment of COVID-19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) has also captivated worldwide attention. Along with persistent development of lung transplantation, it will be integrated with more novel techniques to make breakthroughs in the fields of artificial lung and xenotransplantation. In this article, research progresses on the characteristics of lung transplant donors and recipients around the world were reviewed and the development trend was predicted, enabling patients with end-stage lung disease to obtain more benefits from the development of lung transplantation technique. © 2022 Organ Transplantation. All rights reserved.