Ex-vivo Lung Perfusion Technology Opens New Possibilities In One Of The Most Problematic Areas Of Lung Transplant Surgery

Description

Researchers hope this technique will lead to an increase in numbers of lungs available for transplantation, reducing the wait list times and saving lives.

Dr. James Fildes, from the University’s Collaborative Centre for Inflammation Research and the Transplant Centre at the University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust who led the study, observes: “Aside from the benefits shown in this study, it is possible that EVLP could be used to deliver drugs before the lung is implanted so that the patients immune system does not recognize the transplanted organ as harmful.”

An article reporting the study, entitled “Lung Filtering Technique Can Reduce Transplant Rejection“ describes the new technique to recondition poorly functioning lungs and remove donor white blood cells that University of Manchester researchers have used in attempting to increase the number of lungs available for transplant, and at the same time reduce the risk of acute rejection.