HOPE at Heart (HOPE) of Donor Hearts After Circulatory Death (DCD) Using the XVIVO Heart Assist Transport System.

This is a prospective, single-arm, multi-national, multicentre, proof-of-concept study to evaluate post-transplant outcomes after the use of direct procurement followed by a period of hypothermic oxygenated perfusion of the donor heart in DCD using the XVIVO Heart Assist Transport system.

The investigation will be conducted at 4 heart transplant centres, one in Belgium and three in The Netherlands.The study will include 40 DCD heart transplant recipients and will evaluate transplant outcomes such as post-transplant complications, patient survival and graft function for a period of 6 months post-transplant.

The study will not include a control group as this is a proof-of-concept study, investigating an alternative method of procurement of DCD hearts by providing additional safety and performance data.

The primary objective is to evaluate patient survival after direct procurement and hypothermic oxygenated machine perfusion of DCD donor hearts using the XVIVO Heart Assist Transport System.

The secondary objectives are to evaluate patient outcomes and graft function post-transplant.

Inclusion criteria

• Age ≥18 years
• Signed informed consent form
• Accepted and/or listed for heart transplantation

Exclusion criteria

• Not able to understand the information provided during the informed consent procedure
• Previous solid organ transplantation
• Grown-up congenital heart disease
• Dialysis
• Incompatible blood group
• Combined organ transplantation candidates
• Subjects under pre-transplant desensitization protocol (including plasma exchange in conjunction with the transplant surgery)
• Mechanical circulatory support pre-transplantation (except durable Left ventricular assist device or Intra-aortic balloon pump)