Effects of Preconditioning With Sevoflurane During Organ Procurement From Brain Dead Donors: Impact on Early Function of Liver Allografts

The aim of the investigators study is to investigate the effects of anaesthetic preconditioning with sevoflurane during organs harvesting in brain dead donors. More particularly, the investigators will investigate whether sevoflurane preconditioning protects against ischaemia-reperfusion the livers and kidneys allografts after a prolonged period of cold ischaemia and whether this protection translates in a better clinical functional recovery of these allografts.

Inclusion Criteria:

• all consecutive brain dead donors in the Belgian university hospitals of Leuven, Brussels, Louvain and Liège eligible for organs harvesting followed by organs transplantation in the Eurotransplant area. There is no age limitation for eligibility

Exclusion Criteria:

• haemodynamic instability that precludes safe administration of 2% sevoflurane.