The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has issued draft guidance supporting the use of ex-vivo lung perfusion technology for donor lungs that are initially deemed unsuitable for transplant.
How the technology works
Ex-vivo lung perfusion involves placing donor lungs in a machine that keeps them warm, ventilated and perfused with a nutrient-rich solution. This allows the organs to be assessed and potentially reconditioned over several hours, increasing the window for transplantation.
The technology could enable more lungs to be used, reducing the number of patients who die while on the waiting list. Currently, around one in five donated lungs are rejected because they do not meet immediate transplant criteria.
Impact on transplant waiting lists
NICE estimates that if the guidance is adopted, the number of lung transplants in England could rise by 10 to 20 percent each year. The draft recommendation follows clinical trials that showed similar survival rates between patients who received machine-perfused lungs and those who received conventionally procured organs.
