In organ procurement for deceased donor transplantation, warm ischemia time is best defined as the interval between:
- A Cardiac arrest or withdrawal of support and initiation of cold perfusion ✓
- B Cross-clamping of the aorta and reperfusion in the recipient
- C Removal of the organ from the donor and implantation in the recipient
- D Initiation of cold storage and removal of the organ from ice
Correct answer: A. Cardiac arrest or withdrawal of support and initiation of cold perfusion
Explanation
Warm ischemia time is the period during which the organ remains at body temperature without perfusion, running from circulatory arrest or withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy until cold flush perfusion begins. Option B describes total ischemia, option C defines cold ischemia time, and option D describes rewarming during back-table preparation. Minimising warm ischemia matters most because uncontrolled normothermic metabolism causes the greatest parenchymal injury per minute.
Reference: Schwartz's Principles of Surgery, 11th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.