Desenzano Hospital Performs First Heart Donation From a Non-Heart-Beating Donor

For the first time in its history, ASST Garda completed a controlled donation after circulatory death (cDCD Heart) at the Desenzano del Garda Hospital, delivering a heart from a “standstill” donor. The result was communicated on 30 July 2026 and marks a significant clinical and organisational milestone for Lombardy’s transplant network.

The cDCD program was launched in ASST Garda last autumn, initially involving abdominal organs and tissues; in this case, alongside the liver and kidneys, the deceased patient’s heart was also made available for transplant. Introduced in Italy only in 2023, the procedure relies on technologies that can restart cardiac activity, assess heart function and proceed with transplantation if the organ is deemed suitable, with the aim of increasing the number of organs available for patients on waiting lists while respecting donor will and human dignity.

The process was coordinated by ASST Garda’s Organ and Tissue Procurement Hospital Coordination team together with the Regional Procurement Coordination. Teams from intensive care, cardiology, the operating theatre, pathology and laboratory services were involved, with additional support from the Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo in Pavia, including cardiac surgeons, anaesthetists and perfusionists, as part of the regional heart transplant program. ASST Garda’s medical director Pietro Imbrogno said the outcome reflects the organisation’s growing role in Lombardy’s donation and transplant system.
Italian Version