Organ Retrieval from Deceased Donors Following Maastricht Category III Circulatory Arrest in France in 2015

Abstract

Organ retrieval from deceased donors following Maastricht category III circulatory arrest has been authorised in France in certain establishments for a little more than a year. It involves patients presenting with circulatory arrest subsequent to a decision to withhold or withdraw treatment. The initiation of this pilot phase comes following several years of discussions, led by learned societies within the fields of intensive care, anaesthesia and resuscitation, emergency and transplantation and the Agency for Biomedicine (ABM). A single and national protocol, drafted jointly by the representatives of the various parties involved and the ABM, describes the ethical and technical aspects that need to be closely followed. The functions and responsibilities of those involved are set out in order to avoid any conflict of interest. Its implementation is complex and requires compliance from the healthcare professionals and support from institutions. It requires a period of subsequent preparation, focused on work to inform and train the teams. The initial results are satisfactory, in terms of the perceptions from the families, the care teams and the quality of the transplant organs retrieved. An overall assessment is expected in 2016, which will provide direction for the future of this new activity.