First Use of a Novel System for Allograft Preservation in a DCD (Donation After Cardiac Death) Heart Transplantation

This study is a case report describing the first clinical application of temperature-controlled hypothermic preservation with PerTravel^® of a c-DCD heart with 47 minutes of warm ischemic time, following 130 minutes of viability assessment in TA-NRP.

Key findings

• PerTravel^® maintained stable hypothermia and guaranteed continuously monitored preservation and transport conditions.
• No macroscopic graft damage was observed.
• The heart spontaneously resumed sinus rhythm upon reperfusion.
• Post-operative recovery was uneventful, with no evidence of acute rejection on serial biopsies.

Clinical implications
Temperature-controlled static preservation can guarantee optimal hypothermic conditions even in extremely marginal grafts.

Final insights
This case demonstrates the feasibility and safety of the PerTravel^® system for c-DCD heart preservation, supporting the expansion of the donor pool.