Organs Donated by People Who Had COVID Are Safe
WEDNESDAY, March 23, 2022 (HealthDay News) — New study reassures those waiting for a new kidney or liver during the pandemic: Organs from deceased donors who had COVID-19 did not cause infections in recipients and did not pose a risk to workers’ healthcare.
In a study that began in September 2021, the Duke University School of Medicine team evaluated transplants. Four recipients received two livers and two kidney/pancreas combinations from four COVID-19 positive donors.
One donor died from complications of severe COVID-19, including clots in the lungs. One died from a brain abscess likely caused by COVID-19. The other two donors had mild to moderate COVID-19 and died from a stroke and drug overdose.
The severity of COVID-19 Disease
Donors were assessed by organ type, duration, the severity of COVID-19 disease, and any evidence of potentially increased clotting in the donor organ or vessels.
The protocol used by Duke’s team also included a thorough examination of the organ, and the risk assessment took into account the urgency of the transplant.
On average, for 46 days after receiving new organs, none of the recipients were infected with COVID-19 through transplantation, and health care workers who came into contact with patients did not have infections.
Research Dr. Emily Eichenberger. It supports using abdominal organs from COVID-19 positive donors as safe and effective. Even in those actively infected or with COVID-19 lung disease,” the author said. Meeting press release.
Donors infected with COVID-19
Eichenberger noted that “the results for the recipients are consistent with the expected results of transplantation” and added that a total of 20 such transplants stood successfully performed.
However, research into transplanted organs from COVID-19 survivors is still early. And further research stood needed at various centers around the world to confirm these early results.
The pandemic exacerbated the shortage of organs for donation because surgeons were concerned about using organs from donors infected with COVID-19.
Even though four recipients in this study are not vaccinating, Eichenberger noted. fully vaccinated.
Due to their use of immunosuppressive drugs after transplantation. For this reason, we strongly encourage our patients on the waiting list to give vaccines. The waiting list for organ transplants at our facility is currently underway,” Eichenberger said.
More information
United Network for Organ Sharing offers COVID-19 patient resources.
SOURCE: European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, press release, March 22, 2022
