Organ Procurement and Donor Evaluation Flashcards

Which statement best describes the expanded criteria donor (ECD) designation for kidneys?

Answer: ECD kidneys come from donors with risk factors associated with higher graft failure rates but may still benefit recipients

ECD kidneys come from donors with specific risk factors (age ≥60, or age 50–59 with comorbidities) that are associated with higher graft failure rates but may still provide benefit over dialysis.

Warm ischemia time in transplantation refers to which period?

Answer: Time from circulatory arrest to organ cooling in DCD, or from cross-clamp to reperfusion in DBD

Warm ischemia time is when the organ lacks adequate perfusion at body temperature — in DCD donors this begins at circulatory arrest, and minimizing it is critical.

What does 'first-person consent' mean in the context of organ donation in the US?

Answer: An individual's documented decision to donate (e.g., on a driver's license) is legally binding

First-person consent means a person's registered decision to donate is legally binding and cannot be overridden by family, though family collaboration is still encouraged.

Which apnea test finding confirms brain death during donor evaluation?

Answer: No spontaneous respirations with PaCO2 rising to ≥60 mmHg or 20 mmHg above baseline

A positive apnea test for brain death requires no spontaneous respirations despite a PaCO2 ≥60 mmHg or 20 mmHg above baseline, confirming absent brainstem function.

Which donor characteristic increases the risk of disease transmission to the transplant recipient?

Answer: Recent high-risk behaviors for bloodborne infections

Recent high-risk behaviors (IV drug use, unprotected sex with multiple partners) increase the risk of bloodborne disease transmission despite negative donor testing.

Which term describes the phenomenon where a transplanted kidney does not function immediately after transplantation, requiring temporary dialysis?

Answer: Delayed graft function (DGF)

Delayed graft function (DGF) is when a transplanted kidney requires dialysis in the first week post-transplant, often due to ischemia-reperfusion injury.