Scientists from the University of Oxford have developed a machine capable of keeping a human liver ‘alive, warm, and functioning’ though outside the body. The invention, that has been cultivated over the last fifteen years, is a significant breakthrough which holds massive implications for the future of organ transplants.
The machine mimics the conditions under which the liver usually exists within the human body by warming the organ to body temperature and circulating blood, oxygen and nutrients through it.
As it stands the small amount of livers that are donated must be transplanted into a patient within a maximum of twenty hours. After fourteen hours however, the organ begins to show a decline in functioning at which point many surgeons will decided not to run the risk of operating. What’s more, many donor livers are currently deemed unsuitable for transplant because they are too fatty. Though this may not necessarily mean they are unhealthy, the process of dramatically cooling them down in storage to then warm them up in a relatively short space of time can cause significant damage. It is thus hoped that this new invention can double the number of ‘marginal’ livers that can be used to help those in need.
Since the recent introduction of the machine two patients have successfully been transplanted livers that have been artificially ‘kept alive’. Professor Constantin Coussios of Oxford University’s Department of Engineering Science explains that “these first clinical cases confirm that we can support human livers outside the body, keep them alive and functioning on our machine and then, hours later, successfully transplant them into a patient”.
Despite this success a further 20 operations will have to be performed before the machine can receive a CE mark and the possibility of going into production.
Currently, it is often the case that when a transplantable liver comes in a surgeon’s pager will go off in the middle of the night, beckoning them to perform immediate surgery before the donated liver becomes unusable. The machine’s ability to healthily maintain the liver for much longer periods has much more significant implications.
Firstly, it could mean organs lined up for transplant may be test-driven and analysed more intricately before inserted into the body. As a result, potentially fatal defects may be uncovered and the risk of the body rejecting the organ minimalized.
Peter Friend, Professor of Transplants at Oxford University says; “it would also mean we could look at repairing a liver outside of the body”. The machine also provides a fresh hope for those awaiting a new kidney, pancreas, or lung which in theory could benefit from the same technology.
Friend added, “by enabling us to transplant many organs that are unusable with current techniques, this technology could bring benefit to a large number of patients awaiting transplants, many of whom currently die whilst waiting”.
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