Summary Donor ethnicity is a prognosticator in organ transplant. However, the impact of donor/recipient race‐matching is unclear. We hypothesized that there would be increased survival in donor–recipient race‐matched organ recipients because of genetic and physiologic similarities. The UNOS database from 1999 to 2018 was queried for all solid organ transplantations including heart, lung, liver, kidney, and pancreas transplants. Data were sorted by donor and recipient race into matched and unmatched categories for Caucasian, African American, and Hispanic transplant recipients. After controlling for potential confounders via inverse propensity of treatment weighting, post‐transplant patient and graft survival were compared between race‐matched and ‐unmatched donor groups for each organ. Race‐matched Caucasian recipients experienced 1–3% improvement in mortality across most time points in lung, liver, and pancreas transplants, while Hispanics did not benefit. Matched African American recipients experienced 4–6% improvement in patient and graft survival in liver transplant but had 7–9% worse survival rates at 5 years in lung and pancreas transplants. Race‐matching does not influence patient outcomes enough to factor into organ transplant offers. African American liver transplant recipients benefited the most. Matching was detrimental to African American lung and pancreas transplant recipients indicating there may be other factors influencing the outcomes of these transplants.

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Summary Despite the widespread belief that donor organ availability varies around holidays and seasons, there is little empirical data supporting this long‐held belief. Variations in donor heart availability may be of interest to patients and clinicians. The UNOS/OPTN registry was queried for all heart donations from October 1987 through March 2017. Daily heart donation rates were modeled nationally using Poisson regression including splines for year and day of the year. Seasonality was assessed using a likelihood ratio test for the spine terms for day of the year. The holiday effect was assessed using conditional logistic regression. Seasonal plots suggest a significant, although modest, increase in organ availability during the summer months, except for region 1. The regions with the highest amplitude were region 7 (peak: June 21, amplitude: 16.63%) and region 6 (peak: July 5, amplitude: 11.29%). There was no significant difference in the odds of heart donation when comparing holidays vs. non‐holidays using national data (odds ratio [95% CI]: 1.01 [0.98, 1.03], P = 0.560) or any regional subsets. There was no observable correlation between donor heart availability and holidays. However, a significant seasonality effect was observed with higher donation rates occurring during warmer months.

Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. While medical management and mechanical circulatory support have undergone significant advancement in recent years, orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) remains the most definitive therapy for refractory HF. OHT has seen steady improvement in patient survival and quality of life (QoL) since its inception, with one-year mortality now under 8%. However, a significant number of HF patients are unable to receive OHT due to scarcity of donor hearts. The United Network for Organ Sharing has recently revised its organ allocation criteria in an effort to provide more equitable access to OHT. Despite these changes, there are many potential donor hearts that are inevitably rejected. Arbitrary regulations from the centers for Medicare and Medicaid services and fear of repercussions if one-year mortality falls below established values has led to a current state of excessive risk aversion for which organs are accepted for OHT. Furthermore, non-standardized utilization of extended criteria donors and donation after circulatory death, exacerbate the organ shortage. Data-driven systems can improve donor-recipient matching, better predict patient QoL post-OHT, and decrease needless organ waste through more uniform application of acceptance criteria. Thus, we propose a data-driven future for OHT and a move to patient-centric and holistic transplantation care processes.

Background Crescent cannula adhesion in the setting of COVID-19 respiratory failure requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support is a novel complication. The objective of this case presentation is to highlight this rare complication and to explore potential predisposing factors and our management strategies. Case presentation We present the case of a 25 y.o. patient with COVID-19 respiratory failure requiring ECMO support for 16-days in which a 32 Fr crescent cannula became adherent to the SVC and proximal jugular vein. Attempts to remove the cannula at the bedside failed due to immobility of the cannula. Ultrasound of the right neck was unremarkable, so he was taken to the hybrid OR where both TEE and fluoroscopy were unrevealing. An upper sternotomy was performed, and the superior vena cava and proximal jugular vein were dissected revealing a 2 cm segment of the distal SVC and proximal jugular vein that was densely sclerosed and adherent to the cannula. The vessel was opened across the adherent area at the level of the innominate vein and the cannula was then able to be withdrawn. The patient suffered no ill effects and had an unremarkable recovery to discharge. Conclusions To date, there have been no reports of crescent cannula adhesion related complications. In patients with COVID-19 respiratory failure requiring ECMO, clinicians should be aware of widespread hypercoagulability and the potential of unprovoked, localized venous sclerosis and cannula adhesion. We report our technique of decannulation in the setting of cannula adhesion and hope that presentation will shed further light on this complication allowing clinicians to optimize patient care.