{
  "abstract": "Purpose Traditionally, the obligatory blood samples acquired with a cornea donation are obtained from donors up to 24 hours post-mortem in Denmark. According to Danish legislation it is recommended that the blood sample be acquired prior to death or as soon as possible thereafter. At Aarhus University Hospital, approximately 45% of all corneal donors come from the two intensive care units (ICUs). In the ICU, the patient is equipped with either a central or peripheral venous catheter. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possibility of obtaining blood samples at the ICU shortly after the onset of death of a donor using a venous catheter, which ultimately would result in a higher quality of the blood samples obtained.Methods Kits for blood sampling were prepared for the ICU, including all necessary utilities and instructions for personnel on how to take samples and send them directly for analysis for transmissible diseases. Staff at the ICU draw two blood samples shortly after the death of a corneal donor. Permission for blood sampling at the ICU was approved by the legal department at the hospital and in according with Danish legislation.Results In a period of approximately 1.5 years, 138 corneal donors were obtained from Aarhus University Hospital, of which 39 donors (28%) came from the ICU enrolled in this study. Of these, blood samples were taken at the ICU for 29 donors (74%), whereas blood samples for the remaining 10 donors were obtained in the hospital mortuary by collecting blood from the a. femoralis. On average, the blood sampling time was reduced from 19 hours to one hour for donors from whom the blood sample was drawn in the ICU.Conclusion Sampling time was reduced extensively, thereby preventing unwanted hemolysis of red blood cells and coagulation of the blood. Test results were often available before corneal excision in the mortuary, giving the possibility to cancel a donation upon a positive test result.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "The Danish Cornea Bank, Department of Ophthalmology, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark"
      ],
      "name": "Ebbe Toftgaard Poulsen"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Intensive Care, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark"
      ],
      "name": "Heidi Munk-Andersen"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Intensive Care, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark"
      ],
      "name": "Emilie Manniche Baltzer"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "The Danish Cornea Bank, Department of Ophthalmology, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark"
      ],
      "name": "Jesper Hjortdal"
    }
  ],
  "title": "P.8. Reduction in post-mortem blood sampling time by collaboration with the intensive care unit",
  "uid": "59d3dd4a-a7cd-53b4-8c9c-154cd642b865"
}