In this CME, Larry Suplee, MS, CTBS, Marty Sellers, MD, MPH, and Manish Gupta, MD, discuss how to describe recent trends in kidney allocation, including changes in policy, utilization, and outcomes. They also explain the role of Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs) in kidney allocation and the transplant process, identify key best practices that optimize equity, efficiency, and outcomes in kidney allocation, and define normothermic regional perfusion (NRP) and its role in organ recovery and preservation.

The presenters summarize the clinical evidence and data supporting the use of NRP in improving organ utilization and transplant outcomes and discuss potential ethical, logistical, and clinical concerns associated with the use of NRP.

Educational Objectives 

Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to:

1. Describe recent trends in kidney allocation, including changes in policy, utilization, and outcomes.
2. Explain the role of Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs) in kidney allocation and the transplant process.
3. Identify key best practices that optimize equity, efficiency, and outcomes in kidney allocation.
4. Define normothermic regional perfusion (NRP) and describe its role in organ recovery and preservation.
5. Summarize the clinical evidence and data supporting the use of NRP in improving organ utilization and transplant outcomes.
6. Discuss potential ethical, logistical, and clinical concerns associated with the use of NRP.

Disclosures:

No members of the planning committee, speakers, presenters, authors, content reviewers and/or anyone else in a position to control the content of this education activity have relevant financial relationships with any companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.

Accreditation Statement

In support of improving patient care, the University of Pittsburgh is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

The University of Pittsburgh designates enduring material activity for a maximum of 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit[s]™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Other health care professionals will receive a certificate of attendance confirming the number of contact hours commensurate with the extent of participation in this activity.

For your credit transcript, please access our website 4 weeks post-completion at http://ccehs.upmc.com and follow the link to the Credit Transcript page. If you do not provide the last 5 digits of your SSN on the next page you will not be able to access a CME credit transcript. Providing your SSN is voluntary.

Release Date: 5/20/2026 | Last Modified On: 5/20/2026| Expires: 5/20/2027

Brubaker AL, Sellers MT, Abt PL, et al. US Liver Transplant Outcomes After Normothermic Regional Perfusion vs Standard Super Rapid Recovery. JAMA Surg 159(6):677-685; 2024.

Sellers MT, Grandas J, Warhoover MT, Poland JT, Clapper DC. Normothermic regional perfusion performed by a United States organ procurement organization for nonthoracic organ donors. Am J Transplant 25(8) 1677-1684; 2025.

Oniscu GC, Mehew J, Butler AJ, et al. Improved Organ Utilization and Better Transplant Outcomes With In Situ Normothermic Regional Perfusion in Controlled Donation After Circulatory Death. Transplantation 107(2):438-448; 2023.

Padilla M, Coll E, Fernandez-Perez C, et al. Improved short-term outcomes of kidney transplants in controlled donation after the circulatory determination of death with the use of normothermic regional perfusion. Am J Transplant 21(11):3618-3628; 2021.

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