To the Editor: We congratulate Coulson and colleagues for sharing their single-centre experience of donation after cardiac death (DCD).1 Our recently published Queensland DCD data2 reflect their experience and highlight the efficacy of DCD in augmenting the pool of donors with organs available for transplantation. The number of Australian DCD organ donors is increasing. There were 19 in 2007 and 86 in 2009. In 2011, of the 337 total donors, 26% (86) were DCD donors, providing 19% (195) of the total 1041 organs transplanted in Australia.3
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- 1. Coulson TG, Pilcher DV, Graham SM, et al. Single-centre experience of donation after cardiac death. Med J Aust 2012; 197: 166-169. <MJA full text>
- 2. Kumar R, Shekar K, Widdicombe N, Fraser JF. Donation after cardiac death in Queensland: review of the pilot project. Anaesth Intensive Care 2012; 40: 517-522.
- 3. Australia and New Zealand Organ Donation Registry. 2012 report. Summary of donation (pages 1–27). http://www.Anzdata.Org.Au/Anzod/Anzodreport/2012/Summary_P01-27.pdf (accessed Jan 2013).
No relevant disclosures.