Hypothermic preconditioning of donor organs prior to harvesting and ischaemia using ice-cold intravenous fluids

Summary To promote organ transplantation and viability, hypothermia has been applied as a protective agent for decades. Current management of organ preservation includes hypothermia as a component of static storage. In rare cases, hypothermic perfusion is initiated in the donor organs prior to harvesting but this requires invasive perfusion techniques. Therefore, hypothermic organ protection is currently achieved only after organ retrieval and onset of ischaemic injury cascades. The relevant mechanisms of cellular and organ damage involve ischaemia-reperfusion injury and apoptosis. In this hypothesis, we propose the possibility of inducing hypothermic protective effects prior to organ harvesting using infusion of ice-cold (+4 °C) intravenous fluid in the organ donor. This method of cooling to mild hypothermia (32–34 °C) has been found feasible in e.g. cardiac arrest victims and already during the ischaemic insult. We hypothesize that cooling with ice-cold fluid preceding organ harvesting would downregulate organ metabolism and oxygen consumption resulting in improved tolerance to ischaemia. Furthermore, according to existing evidence, mild hypothermia possesses anti-apoptotic effects and suppresses reperfusion associated inflammatory response. Finally, diabetes insipidus is often observed in the brain dead donor. Subsequent hypovolemia is conveniently treated with additional infusion of cold intravenous fluid. We offer this hypothesis as a simple method of improving donor organ viability via improved tolerance to ischaemia and reperfusion injury. This method of hypothermic preconditioning seems safe, inexpensive and easily applicable in virtually every institution treating organ donors. The feasibility and effects of this hypothesis could be further evaluated in comparison to current treatment protocols in laboratory settings including evaluation of organ preservation.