In my first week blogging I talked about an advancement called ex-vivo lung perfusion, or “lung in a box” technology as a way to make “marginal lungs” viable for transplant. For all you science geeks like me, here’s a video of it in action from an actual operating table. Warning: Viewing is not for the squeamish.
Tag Archives: Organ Care System
What Exactly is EX-VIVO Lung Perfusion?
In my past post, Deeper Questions, I mentioned that my transplant center, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (UPENN) uses a technology called ex-vivo lung perfusion to make transplanted lungs more viable, allowing them to be sustained outside the body for longer periods, & potentially reversing damage that might have once caused lungs to not be suitable for transplant. They have some excellent information at the website as part of the lung transplant program page that outlines this technology (in fact, that’s where I found the image I used to accompany this post) what exactly it is, & how it’s led to more transplants & better outcomes.
AS I LIVE & BREATHE 