Renal grafts from non-heart beating donors

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Abstract
From 1 September 1988 to 30 April 1991, 27 patients received renal transplants from non-heart beating donors and 70 from heart beating donors. Nine of the non-heart beating donors (who donated 18 grafts) had been hospice patients with primary cerebral tumours. The hospice's counsellors had sought consent both from the patients and from their relatives. During the terminal phase of their illness the patients received only the treatment indicated by their medical condition. After the patient's death the family was given time to be with him or her before the body was moved to the hospice's mortuary and the kidneys were removed. The remaining grafts came from people who had died after road traffic accidents or of myocardial infarction or subarachnoid haemorrhage. Donors and recipients were matched according to ABO blood group and a negative result on lymphocytotoxicity testing; no account was taken of the source of the graft. All patients received immunosuppressive drugs.