In the last few years, the tremendous growth of clinical transplantations has greatly increased the need for grafts. Combined heart, liver and kidney harvesting in a same donor could provide an answer. The results are presented of multiple organ retrieval (MOR) carried out in an University hospital located in an area with 1,350,000 inhabitants. In addition to the usual problems of donor maintenance and legal aspects, it was necessary to carry out a specific work-up for each organ to be harvested. The job of the local coordinator was extremely important in the search for potential recipients and the organization of the procedure (time-table, air transport) in order to give optimal conditions. The priority given to retrieving the heart and in situ cooling of the liver and kidneys guaranteed the good quality of the harvested organs. Over a period of three years, 28 MOR have been carried out. Of the 94 organs harvested, 88 were transplanted in France or another European country (49 kidneys, 23 hearts, 16 livers); 75 are still functioning (47 kidneys, 19 hearts, 9 livers). As a result of this experience, and taking into account the need for organs, all brain dead patients should be considered as potential multiple organ donors, and not just as kidney donors. The intervention of several teams, often quite distant from the site of retrieval, requires careful planning. The surgical procedure, even when performed by a trained team, is often complex, perfect synchronization of the surgical steps of the operation being the most important point.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
