Cardiac allograft harvesting after carbon monoxide poisoning. Report of a successful orthotopic heart transplantation.

Hearts from brain dead victims of carbon monoxide poisoning have been reported to be unsuitable for heart transplantation. We present the case of a 30-year-old male donor who was the victim of carbon monoxide poisoning. He was on ventilation for 16 days before the organs were offered for harvesting. A liver biopsy indicated focal liver cell necrosis. The liver graft was not used. Heart transplantation was performed successfully. No evidence of ischemic areas or myocardial cell necrosis could be found in all heart biopsy specimens. Four months after transplantation, graft function remains excellent.