Allegheny General Hospital joins growing list of leading organ transplant centers decreasing wait times for patients through acceptance of hepatitis C-positive organ donors

Armed with newer antiviral therapies that quickly cure hepatitis C among organ recipients, AGH protocol paves the way for more patients to receive lifesaving gift

PITTSBURGH – Organ transplantation specialists at Allegheny Health Network’s (AHN) Allegheny General Hospital (AGH) have joined a growing number of leading transplant centers across the United States who are making kidney and heart transplantation more readily available to those in need by accepting and transplanting organs from donors who are hepatitis C-positive. 

With the advent of effective antiviral medications that can quickly eradicate hepatitis C, transplantation specialists have become more comfortable transplanting organs from hep C positive donors, and studies have consistently demonstrated the safety and efficacy of the protocol, according to AHN transplant nephrologist Reem Daloul, MD.

Hepatitis C, also referred to as ‘HCV,’ is a potentially fatal viral infection that causes liver inflammation and can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer if left untreated. The most common bloodborne infection in the U.S., HCV spreads when blood contaminated with the virus enters the bloodstream of an uninfected person.

Despite the availability of highly effective and curative treatments, the incidence rate of HCV has rapidly increased in recent years, and as a result, there has been an increase in the number of individuals with hepatitis C who are also registered as organ donors.

More than 90,000 people in the U.S. are awaiting a kidney donation. On average, those in need of a kidney wait 3-5 years on the national transplant waiting list and, according to the National Kidney Foundation, 13 people die each day while waiting for a kidney transplant.

In 2022, AGH began transplanting kidneys from HCV-positive donors last fall. Recipients are informed prior to the procedure that the organ is from a positive donor, and following the transplant surgery, they begin a three-month course of treatment with antiviral medications to clear the infection.

Prior to joining AHN, Dr. Daloul led a study in 2019 at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center which evaluated the utilization of hepatitis C-positive kidneys in negative recipients. Each of the study’s 30 participants took the anti-viral medication and all were ultimately cured of hepatitis C following their transplant. Other studies have shown similar antiviral treatment cure rates.

“The science has proven this to be a safe and effective option for organ transplantation that enables many more patients in our community to benefit from this lifesaving procedure,” said Dr. Daloul.

Doctors at AHN’s Cardiovascular Institute (CVI) began performing heart transplantation with hepatitis C-positive donor hearts in 2019 and the team has since completed approximately 30 such procedures.

“The limited availability of donor organs in our country continues to be a significant barrier to the health and well-being of thousands of people who are experiencing end-stage organ failure and are good candidates for transplantation,” said Stephen Bailey, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon and Chair of AHN’s Cardiovascular Institute. “Establishing a hep C positive donor organ protocol at AGH has enabled us to further expand the donor organ pool for our patients and it’s another great example of our team exploring and embracing innovative solutions that improve and save lives.”   

Approximately 3,500 people in the U.S. are currently waiting for a donor heart, with many waiting at least six months before having the opportunity to undergo transplant surgery. About 20% of patients on the heart transplant wait list die each year.  

The AHN Surgery Institute is nationally recognized for its organ transplantation program, providing high-quality care and a tailored approach to its patients. Transplant services offered at Allegheny General Hospital include kidney and pancreas, liver, and heart transplants. To learn more about organ transplant at AHN, visit www.ahn.org/services/surgery/transplant.

To view a listing of hepatitis C screening locations in Allegheny County, visit www.hepcfreeallegheny.org. To register to become an organ donor, visit www.registerme.org.

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