Italy expands organ donation expertise with Basilicata training course and first DCD transplant in Riccione

From 17 to 19 June, Matera hosted the inaugural Transplant Procurement Management (TPM) course for Basilicata. More than fifty doctors and nurses from regional hospitals received certified training—including simulations and role‑playing—to improve donor identification, family support and organ procurement, the regional transplant coordinator Maria Grazia Schievenin said. The program, run by the Regional Transplant Centre, the Health Department and the local health authority, follows international TPM standards and involves experts from other Italian regions.

A few days later, the Hospital Ceccarini in Riccione performed the first donation after circulatory death (DCD) in the area, using normothermic regional perfusion (NRP) and ECMO support. The procedure, coordinated by the Emilia‑Romagna Transplant Reference Centre and involving multiple specialties, marks a milestone for the regional transplant network and demonstrates the growing expertise in advanced organ‑donation techniques.