DCD vs. DBD - Comparison of two types of organ donation and their impact on the quality of donor hearts using hypothermic ex vivo perfusion in a preclinical porcine model

In this project, hypothermic oxygenated machine perfusion (HMP) is being investigated as a potential method for organ preservation in hearts from DCD-donors (donation after circulatory death) in an established pig model. The aim is to evaluate the efficiency of HMP in comparison to conventional cold storage (Static Cold Storage, SCS). A twofold comparison study will be carried out: firstly, hearts after DCD will be preserved using HMP versus SCS, and secondly, the preserved hearts after DCD will be compared with those from donors after brain death, which will also be treated with either HMP or SCS.Hypothermic machine perfusion enables an active and controlled supply of nutrients and oxygen to the removed organ at low temperatures, which potentially improves organ function after transplantation and reduces the risk of graft failure. This research project aims to analyze the organ quality, function and vitality after the different preservation procedures and to draw conclusions for clinical application.