Five years of a self-sustaining heart transplant program in the Canary Islands

One significant challenge in heart transplant (HT) is the shortage of grafts and underutilization of the donor pool. This study analyzes the unique characteristics of the HT program in the Canary Islands, established in 2019, which operates with a predominantly self-sustaining donor pool. A retrospe...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Maria del Val Groba-Marco, MD, Vicente Peña-Morant, MD, Francisco González-Vílchez, PhD, Mario Galván-Ruiz, MD, Miguel Fernandez-de-Sanmamed, MD, Jose Luis Romero-Lujan, MD, Francisco Portela-Torron, MD, Eduardo Jose Caballero-Dorta, PhD, Alicia Pérez-Blanco, PhD, Antonio García-Quintana, MD
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-08-01
Series:JHLT Open
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950133425000709
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849402521588596736
author Maria del Val Groba-Marco, MD
Vicente Peña-Morant, MD
Francisco González-Vílchez, PhD
Mario Galván-Ruiz, MD
Miguel Fernandez-de-Sanmamed, MD
Jose Luis Romero-Lujan, MD
Francisco Portela-Torron, MD
Eduardo Jose Caballero-Dorta, PhD
Alicia Pérez-Blanco, PhD
Antonio García-Quintana, MD
author_facet Maria del Val Groba-Marco, MD
Vicente Peña-Morant, MD
Francisco González-Vílchez, PhD
Mario Galván-Ruiz, MD
Miguel Fernandez-de-Sanmamed, MD
Jose Luis Romero-Lujan, MD
Francisco Portela-Torron, MD
Eduardo Jose Caballero-Dorta, PhD
Alicia Pérez-Blanco, PhD
Antonio García-Quintana, MD
author_sort Maria del Val Groba-Marco, MD
collection DOAJ
description One significant challenge in heart transplant (HT) is the shortage of grafts and underutilization of the donor pool. This study analyzes the unique characteristics of the HT program in the Canary Islands, established in 2019, which operates with a predominantly self-sustaining donor pool. A retrospective review of the Spanish HT Registry and National Transplant Organization reports between 2020 and 2024 revealed that 97% of transplanted hearts originated from local donors. The geographical constraints of the islands create an unresolved issue with ischemic time, prompting the Canary region to establish a new HT program based on donation after circulatory death and extended criteria donors. These 2 initiatives have increased the donor pool and transplantation rates, while maintaining ethical allocation and comparable survival rates. This model highlights how regional programs can improve the underutilized donor pool and transplantation opportunities, offering a framework for future initiatives to optimize donation.
format Article
id doaj-art-00a0c318ece345eb96bcd36f16634570
institution Kabale University
issn 2950-1334
language English
publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series JHLT Open
spelling doaj-art-00a0c318ece345eb96bcd36f166345702025-08-20T03:37:31ZengElsevierJHLT Open2950-13342025-08-01910027510.1016/j.jhlto.2025.100275Five years of a self-sustaining heart transplant program in the Canary IslandsMaria del Val Groba-Marco, MD0Vicente Peña-Morant, MD1Francisco González-Vílchez, PhD2Mario Galván-Ruiz, MD3Miguel Fernandez-de-Sanmamed, MD4Jose Luis Romero-Lujan, MD5Francisco Portela-Torron, MD6Eduardo Jose Caballero-Dorta, PhD7Alicia Pérez-Blanco, PhD8Antonio García-Quintana, MD9Cardiology Department, Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria Dr. Negrín, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain; Departamento de Ciencias Medicas y Quirurgicas, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain; Corresponding author: Maria del Val Groba-Marco, MD, Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria Dr. Negrín, Barranco de la Ballena S/N, 35010 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.Transplant Coordination Unit, Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria Dr. Negrín, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, SpainServicio de Cardiología, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander, Cantabria, SpainCardiology Department, Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria Dr. Negrín, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, SpainCardiology Department, Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria Dr. Negrín, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, SpainDepartment of Critical Care, Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria Dr. Negrín, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, SpainDepartment of Cardiac Surgery, Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria Dr. Negrín, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, SpainCardiology Department, Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria Dr. Negrín, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, SpainOrganización Nacional de Trasplantes, Madrid, SpainCardiology Department, Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria Dr. Negrín, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, SpainOne significant challenge in heart transplant (HT) is the shortage of grafts and underutilization of the donor pool. This study analyzes the unique characteristics of the HT program in the Canary Islands, established in 2019, which operates with a predominantly self-sustaining donor pool. A retrospective review of the Spanish HT Registry and National Transplant Organization reports between 2020 and 2024 revealed that 97% of transplanted hearts originated from local donors. The geographical constraints of the islands create an unresolved issue with ischemic time, prompting the Canary region to establish a new HT program based on donation after circulatory death and extended criteria donors. These 2 initiatives have increased the donor pool and transplantation rates, while maintaining ethical allocation and comparable survival rates. This model highlights how regional programs can improve the underutilized donor pool and transplantation opportunities, offering a framework for future initiatives to optimize donation.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950133425000709heart transplantequitysustainabilitydonor pooldonation after circulatory death
spellingShingle Maria del Val Groba-Marco, MD
Vicente Peña-Morant, MD
Francisco González-Vílchez, PhD
Mario Galván-Ruiz, MD
Miguel Fernandez-de-Sanmamed, MD
Jose Luis Romero-Lujan, MD
Francisco Portela-Torron, MD
Eduardo Jose Caballero-Dorta, PhD
Alicia Pérez-Blanco, PhD
Antonio García-Quintana, MD
Five years of a self-sustaining heart transplant program in the Canary Islands
JHLT Open
heart transplant
equity
sustainability
donor pool
donation after circulatory death
title Five years of a self-sustaining heart transplant program in the Canary Islands
title_full Five years of a self-sustaining heart transplant program in the Canary Islands
title_fullStr Five years of a self-sustaining heart transplant program in the Canary Islands
title_full_unstemmed Five years of a self-sustaining heart transplant program in the Canary Islands
title_short Five years of a self-sustaining heart transplant program in the Canary Islands
title_sort five years of a self sustaining heart transplant program in the canary islands
topic heart transplant
equity
sustainability
donor pool
donation after circulatory death
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950133425000709
work_keys_str_mv AT mariadelvalgrobamarcomd fiveyearsofaselfsustaininghearttransplantprograminthecanaryislands
AT vicentepenamorantmd fiveyearsofaselfsustaininghearttransplantprograminthecanaryislands
AT franciscogonzalezvilchezphd fiveyearsofaselfsustaininghearttransplantprograminthecanaryislands
AT mariogalvanruizmd fiveyearsofaselfsustaininghearttransplantprograminthecanaryislands
AT miguelfernandezdesanmamedmd fiveyearsofaselfsustaininghearttransplantprograminthecanaryislands
AT joseluisromerolujanmd fiveyearsofaselfsustaininghearttransplantprograminthecanaryislands
AT franciscoportelatorronmd fiveyearsofaselfsustaininghearttransplantprograminthecanaryislands
AT eduardojosecaballerodortaphd fiveyearsofaselfsustaininghearttransplantprograminthecanaryislands
AT aliciaperezblancophd fiveyearsofaselfsustaininghearttransplantprograminthecanaryislands
AT antoniogarciaquintanamd fiveyearsofaselfsustaininghearttransplantprograminthecanaryislands