Organ Recovery Procedure

• The LOPA Coordinator will notify the OR Supervisor and schedule a time for the organ recovery. Hospital staff required:
• Circulator
• Scrub Technician
• Anesthesia
• The OR Supervisor will notify OR Staff of pending organ case.
• This case will flow like most open abdominal procedures using bovie, metz, moynihans and silk ties.
• Dissection and isolation of blood vessels will reduce bleeding and prepare the organs for transplantation.
• Once most of the dissection and isolation is completed, the cannulation begins.
• Once the organs are cannulated, the Recovery Surgeon will cross clamp (stop blood flow to the organs) and terminate ventilation. The organ flush will begin at the time of cross clamp with a preservation solution, filling the thoracic and abdominal cavity with sterile frozen slush to help insure organ preservation.
• Anesthesia may leave after cross clamp.
• Once the organs are flushed, final organ dissection and removal will take place.
• Lymph nodes and spleen will be recovered during the organ recovery and is used for tissue typing.
• The incision is closed when the organ recovery procedure is completed.
• The LOPA Recovery Staff will coordinate and support the Hospital OR Staff in removing drapes and clean-up of the organ donor’s body and the operating room.
• All lines and ET tube may or may not be removed depending on coroner involvement.
• The morgue pack will be placed on a stretcher, and two ID tags will be placed for identification, one inside and one outside of bag.
• The LOPA Recovery Staff will help transport patient to the morgue (when necessary).

Setting up the Operating Room (see diagram)

• OR room set up should begin one hour prior to the scheduled OR time. Please do not open supplies until asked by the LOPA Recovery Staff.
• Required instruments and equipment:
  • Two or more back tables
  • Five I.V. poles
  • Two slush machines
  • Two bovie machines
  • Two suction machines and extra canisters (suction canisters will need close monitoring for frequent changing)
  • Defibrillators:
    • sterile internal paddles with cables
    • external paddles
  • Sterile instruments:
    • Major Lap Set
    • Major Vascular Set
    • Sternal Saw with blade

    Click on one of the pictures below for a larger view.

• The LOPA Recovery Technician will bring all sterile packs required for the organ case:
  • Basic pack
  • Drape/suture pack
  • Multi-organ pack

Operating Room Staff Responsibilities

• Hospital Surgical Technician
• The back table and mayo tray
• LOPA Recovery Technician
• The organ preservation table (removed organs will be handled by the LOPA Recovery Technician)

Patient Specific Requirements

• The LOPA Coordinator will bring the patient to the OR once the room is set-up.
• EKG leads and bovie pads should be placed on the posterior surface of the patient.
• Position patient supine with arms tucked.
• Prep will be sternal notch to mid-thigh and side-to-side.
• Drape body using:
• Sterile blue towels
• Head sheet
• Foot sheet
• Two side sheets

Your LOPA Recovery Technician and Coordinator are there to answer any questions you may have concerning this procedure.

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