Objectives: Expand the donors pool is one of the most hastening problems among transplant coordination teams all over the world. Our Hospital outlined thirteen years ago a specific policy to increase donors pool with non-heart-beating-donors program.
Methods: We have developed an specific program, called "code 9" to get donors from "previously healthy" people who die of sudden or unexpected death. Madrid has one of the best emergency medical services all over the world, with response time under eight minutes, and being able to perform all kind of advanced life support maneuvers in situ and during transfer to hospital.
Results: From 1989 we have reported the goodness of the program and the excellence of the organs transplanted. In Madrid, one of the most active communities in Spain in organ donors procurement, 33% of donors comes from this program. Organs and tissues obtained are of same or better quality than those obtained from encephalic death donors.
Conclusions: Non-heart beating programs are a good option to increase donors pool.