Saturday, October 10, 2026
12:00 PM UTC
Donation After Circulatory Death (DCD) Liver Transplantation: Outcomes, Challenges, and Future Directions.
Dr. Wojciech G. Polak MD, PhD, FEBS (HPB & Transplant Surgery), MD, PhD, FEBS
Professor of Surgery · Division of Hepatobiliary and Transplantation Surgery Erasmus MC Transplant Institute, University Medical Center Rotterdam · The Netherlands (NL)
Join link opens 10 minutes before the conference.
About This Conference
The growing disparity between the demand for liver transplantation and the availability of donor organs has driven increased utilization of Donation After Circulatory Death (DCD) grafts worldwide. While DCD liver transplantation offers an important opportunity to expand the donor pool, it presents unique clinical and surgical challenges, including warm ischemic injury, biliary complications, and concerns regarding long-term graft outcomes. In this lecture, Dr. Wojciech G. Polak will provide a comprehensive overview of the evolution of DCD liver transplantation, highlighting contemporary outcomes, advances in donor selection, and innovations in organ preservation. The discussion will explore the role of machine perfusion technologies, normothermic regional perfusion, and emerging strategies that are reshaping the field and improving graft utilization. Attendees will gain insights into current challenges, lessons learned from high-volume transplant centers, and future directions that may further enhance the safety and success of DCD liver transplantation. This session will be of particular interest to transplant surgeons, hepatologists, gastroenterologists, transplant coordinators, trainees, and other healthcare professionals involved in the care of liver transplant candidates and recipients.
About the Speaker
HPB & Transplant Surgery**Dr. Wojciech G. Polak, MD, PhD, FEBS (HPB & Transplant Surgery)** is a leading hepatobiliary and transplant surgeon with more than 25 years of experience in liver transplantation, organ donation, and HPB surgery. He serves as Surgical Director of the Liver Transplant Program at Erasmus MC Transplant Institute, University Medical Center Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Dr. Polak has held numerous international leadership positions, including President of the International Liver Transplantation Society (ILTS) and former Chair of the European Liver and Intestine Transplant Association (ELITA). A recognized authority in DCD liver transplantation and organ preservation, he has authored hundreds of scientific publications and has played a pivotal role in advancing liver transplant programs across Europe and internationally.