Early outcomes after lung transplant from donation after cardiocirculatory death. Monocentric experience.

<bold>Introduction:</bold> Lung transplant from donation after circulatory determination of death (DCD) has been performed in Italy since 2014. DCD protocols are inhomogeneous among countries and centers; such variability has potential implications on transplant outcome. Namely, in Italy is mandatory the “20 minutes hands-off” interval. The study primary purpose was the short-term survival of patients who received lungs from DCD; secondary objective was the grade 2-3 primary graft dysfunction (PGD) at 72 h. <bold>Methods:</bold> We performed a retrospective, monocentric cohort study involving all consecutive patients who received bilateral lung transplant between 2014 and 2023. <bold>Results:</bold> 27 DCD recipients were identified (15 DCD-II; 12 DCD-III). A comparative cohort of 220 patients received lungs from brain-dead donors (DBD). DCD and DBD recipients were comparable for baseline characteristics. On the contrary, DCD donors were significantly older than DBD, male rate was higher in DCD, mechanical ventilation was longer in DCD (considering DCD-III). Perioperative variable such as intraop. ECMO, ECMO timing, postop. ECMO and vasoactive support were homogeneous between the two groups. 90-day mortality and PGD at 72 hours were similar between the two groups <bold>Conclusions:</bold> Lung transplantation with DCD donors seems to have early outcome similar to recipients receiving DBD donors despite significantly worst grafts and long hands-off intervals. <fig><object-id>erj;64/suppl_68/PA584/F1</object-id><object-id>F1</object-id><object-id>F1</object-id><graphic></graphic></fig>