Donor sepsis is not a contraindication to cadaveric organ donation

Systemic donor infection is regarded as being an absolute contraindicationto cadaveric organ donation for transplantation. This is largely due tofear of transmitting pathogenic organisms to the immunosuppressedrecipient. However, due to the current shortage of organs available fortransplantation, clinicians are faced with the option of using organs from'non-ideal' donors, such as those patients with documented evidence ofinfection. We report the successful outcome of six orthotopic livertransplants, 11 renal transplants, one combined heart lung transplant andone simultaneous kidney and pancreas transplant with organs from eightdonors in whom bacterial meningitis (n = 7) and acute bacterialepiglottitis (n = 1) were the antecedent causes of death.