Novel approaches to expanding the lung donor pool: donation after cardiac death and ex vivo conditioning

Clin Chest Med. 2011 Jun;32(2):233-44. doi: 10.1016/j.ccm.2011.02.003. Epub 2011 Mar 25.

Abstract

Two novel approaches have been developed to potentially increase the availability of donor lungs for lung transplantation. In the first approach, lungs from donation after cardiac death (DCD) donors are used to increase the quantity of organ donors. In the second approach, a newly developed normothermic ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) technique is used as a means of reassessing the adequacy of lung function from DCD and from high-risk brain death donors prior to transplantation. This EVLP technique can also act as a platform for the delivery of novel therapies to repair injured organs ex vivo.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Death
  • Donor Selection / ethics
  • Humans
  • Lung Transplantation*
  • Organ Preservation / methods*
  • Perfusion / instrumentation
  • Perfusion / methods
  • Respiratory Function Tests
  • Tissue Donors / ethics
  • Tissue and Organ Harvesting / ethics
  • Tissue and Organ Harvesting / methods*
  • Tissue and Organ Procurement / ethics
  • Tissue and Organ Procurement / organization & administration*