Thrombolysis during machine perfusion of DCD donor livers

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  A pilot study of thrombolysis during machine perfusion of circulatory death donor livers to prevent biliary strictures

• IRAS ID

  297403

• Contact name

  Andrew Butler

• Contact email

  andrew.butler13@nhs.net

• Sponsor organisation

  Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Cambridge

• ISRCTN Number

  ISRCTN15211703

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 11 months, 30 days

• Research summary

  Transplanted livers are susceptible to develop scarring in the bile ducts due to blockage of the blood supply to the wall of the bile duct around the time of transplant. These blocks are thought to be caused by blood clots developing as the liver recovers from a period of storage outside the body. The walls of bile ducts that have had their blood supply blocked then heal by scarring, causing narrowed areas in the duct (strictures). Livers from donors donating after circulatory death, as opposed to brain dead donors, are particularly prone to develop this problem.
  This study will place a liver on a perfusion machine outside the body and use a clot busting treatment that has been shown to work in non-transplanted livers to break down any clots that form before the liver is transplanted. This clot busting treatment cannot be given after a transplant because of the risk of bleeding in the recipient, something that should not be a problem on a perfusion machine

  This study is primarily to assess the safety and ease of administration of the treatment, as well as looking at efficacy

• REC name

  East of England - Cambridge East Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  21/EE/0237

• Date of REC Opinion

  16 Dec 2021

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion