A groundbreaking surgical technique pioneered in British hospitals is set to be rolled out across the NHS, promising to deliver hundreds more lifesaving transplants to patients on the record-high waiting list.
The ANRP Breakthrough
Surgeons will now use a procedure called Abdominal Normothermic Regional Perfusion (ANRP) to prepare organs before removal. This involves pumping oxygenated blood and nutrients into organs like the liver, kidney, and pancreas after a donor's circulatory death has been confirmed, but before the organs are retrieved and placed on ice.
The technique was developed and piloted by surgeons at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge and the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. An NHS pilot scheme has shown remarkable results, demonstrating that ANRP can double the number of usable livers retrieved from certain donors.
Modelling suggests the nationwide rollout will lead to an extra 150 successful liver transplants each year, with increases also expected for kidney and pancreas donations. Data indicates that when ANRP is used, similar deceased donors provide a liver transplant in 63% of cases, compared to just 34% without it.
Transforming Patient Outcomes
The benefits extend far beyond simply increasing the number of available organs. ANRP significantly improves how well transplanted organs function in their recipients.
Patients who receive a liver where ANRP was used have a 51% lower risk of the transplant failing within the first 12 months. For kidneys, the technique results in a 35% lower chance of delayed graft function, a form of organ rejection. Data suggests kidneys preserved with ANRP could provide an extra five years of use.
Alex Cornish, a 38-year-old hairdresser and mother-of-four from Sennybridge, Powys, received an ANRP-treated liver at the Royal Free Hospital in London earlier this year. "The new liver technique really makes sense - it's something that should be done as much as possible," she said. "When you are on the waiting list it's like you have a dark cloud over you... Too many people die on the waiting list."
A Critical Response to a Growing Crisis
The national rollout, backed by new Government funding to equip all ten UK specialist centres by 2027, comes at a critical time. The NHS transplant waiting list is at a record high following a post-pandemic drop in donors.
Currently, there are over 8,000 people waiting for a life-changing transplant. This includes 6,650 needing a kidney, 630 waiting for a liver, and 340 awaiting a combined kidney and pancreas transplant. Last year, approximately 400 people died while on the waiting list for these organs, or within a year of being removed due to becoming too unwell for surgery.
Health Minister Zubir Ahmed, himself a transplant surgeon, stated: "This is a significant step forward for UK donation and transplantation and cements its status as a world leader... By funding its rollout, we will help save and improve hundreds more lives every year."
Anthony Clarkson, Director at NHS Blood and Transplant, emphasised that while ANRP is a major advance, public support remains vital. "Organs can only be donated if people support donation. It is critically important we get more people to confirm they want to donate on the NHS Organ Donor Register," he said.
The UK operates an 'opt-out' system of deemed consent, but families can still override a person's decision at the time of death. A recent increase in families vetoing donations has contributed to the shortage.
