Transfusion of platelet-rich plasma from the organ donor during cardiac transplantation.

Study Objective: To evaluate whether transfusion of platelet-rich plasma from the organ donor during cardiac transplantation can influence the amount of the needed homologous blood products.
Design: Randomized, controlled study.
Setting: University hospital.
Patients: 16 ASA physical status III patients undergoing orthotopic cardiac transplantation.
Interventions: Eight patients received donor plasma, while another 8 patients served as a control group. Blood from the organ donor was acquired during cardiac explantation. Thereafter platelet-rich plasma was separated by plasmapheresis (2400 turns per minute). The plasma was then transfused to the organ recipient at the end of the cardiac transplantation. The control group received a similar amount of albumin 5%.
Measurements and Main Results: In the patients who received donor plasma, the platelet count increased significantly from 98,000 +/- 49,000 mm-3 to 123,000 +/- 55,000 mm-3, the postoperative requirement of packed red blood cells (PRBCs) was 5.8 +/- 4.5 units, which was significantly lower as compared to the control group (10.8 +/- 5.9 units).
Conclusions: Transfusion of platelet-rich plasma from the organ donor to the recipient was confirmed to be feasible, the number of postoperatively transfused PRBCs was reduced.