Donation after cardiac death in pediatric organ transplantation

Purpose of review The purpose of this review is to describe the history, current practice, and outcomes of the transplantation of organs donated after cardiac death (DCD) in children. Recent findings The rate of death on the waiting list is greater for children under 5 years of age than for any other age group. The organ shortage experienced by the general population awaiting transplantation is made more complex due to the need for size-appropriate organs for transplantation into small children. Pediatric DCD organ recovery has been proposed as a means of ameliorating this shortage. Summary The use of DCD organs has experienced resurgence in the past 15 years, and a growing body of literature supports their use in selected cases. Recent experience in pediatric transplantation using DCD heart, lung, liver, and kidney is reviewed.