Anonymous Living Donor Liver Donation: Establishing A Protocol and Understanding Donors Experience
1School of Medicine, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, 2Division of Transplantation, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, 3Department of Surgery, Division of Transplantation, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, 4Department of Medicine-Gastroenterology, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA
Meeting: 2020 American Transplant Congress
Abstract number: C-159
Keywords: Donors, unrelated, Liver transplantation, Living-related liver donors
Session Information
Session Name: Poster Session C: Liver: Living Donors and Partial Grafts
Session Type: Poster Session
Date: Saturday, May 30, 2020
Session Time: 3:15pm-4:00pm
Presentation Time: 3:30pm-4:00pm
Location: Virtual
*Purpose: Anonymous living liver donation (ALLDs) are not as widely accepted as directed donations from friends and family, despite having significant potential to help mitigate global organ shortages. Our transplant center has established a protocol to enable an ALLD program to help reduce organ scarcity.
*Methods: All potential anonymous donors at our institution were evaluated in the same manner as non-anonymous living donors with the exception that all received a neuropsychological assessment. Potential recipients are selected based on medical need and donor compatibility. This study describes the workflow and experience of all potential anonymous living donors to date at our institution.
*Results: During the study period, 40 individuals reached out to be assessed for ALLD. 15/40 were ineligible at the time of the referral due to various reasons (i.e. psychosocial history, recreational drug use, etc.). 14/40 never followed through after initial referral. Eventually 11 individuals returned the agreement of understanding after the initial referral process. Only 8/11 completed the necessary medical and psychosocial assessments. Of those, 3/8 candidates were declined due to incompatible liver anatomy. One candidate was lost to follow-up after clinic evaluation, one was declined due to psychosocial concerns raised later on the evaluation process and another was a high BMI. Ultimately, two candidates fully completed the donation process and have successfully undergone ALLD. Following donation, both donors have had some form of contact with their recipients. In addition, 3 candidates are currently being considered for ALLD and have completed all or part of their assessments.
*Conclusions: Using an established evaluation protocol, our program has screened 40 potential donors. Two patients underwent ALLD with no long-term medical or psychosocial complications. Following the initial experience, 3 patients are being currently evaluated for potential ALLD. Adopting policies to allow for ALLDs has the potential to increase grafts and reduce liver transplant wait times.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Shan S, Durden J, Seay T, Vargas P, Pelletier S, Oberholzer J, Argo C, Goldaracena N. Anonymous Living Donor Liver Donation: Establishing A Protocol and Understanding Donors Experience [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2020; 20 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/anonymous-living-donor-liver-donation-establishing-a-protocol-and-understanding-donors-experience/. Accessed May 31, 2025.« Back to 2020 American Transplant Congress