Journal of hepatology
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Journal of hepatology · Apr 2016
Liver transplant center variability in accepting organ offers and its impact on patient survival.
Despite an allocation system designed to give deceased-donor livers to the sickest patients, many transplantable livers are declined by U.S. transplant centers. It is unknown whether centers vary in their propensities to decline organs for the highest priority patients, and how these decisions directly impact patient outcomes. ⋯ There is marked variability in center practices regarding accepting livers allocated to the highest priority patients. Center-level decisions to decline organs substantially increased patients' odds of dying on the waitlist without a transplant.