Most donor lungs are not suitable for transplantation, but a new technique that uses pigs could revitalize many of those lungs and increase the transplant supply, according to NHLBI-funded research published in Nature Medicine.
The only cure for end-stage lung disease is lung transplantation, but only about 20% of donor lungs are viable for transplant. That’s primarily because lungs are very delicate and begin to quickly deteriorate after a person dies.
A team of researchers from Vanderbilt and Columbia universities had previously found that damaged pig lungs could be revitalized by connecting them to the circulation system of another pig. In the new study, the researchers decided to see if the same technique could revitalize human lungs.
They connected five damaged lungs that had been rejected for transplantation to pigs. After 24 hours, the function of the lungs improved to the point where they could be considered suitable for transplant.
The researchers say they want to conduct the procedure with many more lungs before attempting to implant them in people. They note that while the procedure won’t revitalize every lung, it could substantially increase the number available for transplant.