Successful donation and transplantation of multiple organs from a victim of cyanide poisoning

Demand for viable human organs for transplantation continues to exceed the supply. To expand supply, the criteria for identification and management of suitable donors must continue to evolve. Poisoned patients are often excluded as potential organ donors due to perceived risks of transmittable agents and/or physiologically compromised organs. In this report, a patient succumbed after an intentional ingestion of cyanide and multiple pharmaceuticals. Donor organ viability was determined by lack of significant injury beyond the central nervous system. Following standard procurement procedures, the heart, liver, corneas, 16 skin grafts and 16 bone grafts were deemed suitable and successfully transplanted. All organ recipients were doing well eight months post transplantation. The focus of procurement personnel should be on tissue injury and not on the mere presence of clinical effect of a toxic agent. With the paucity of organs available, poison centers need to be cognizant of this dilemma when faced with a toxicologically compromised potential organ donor.