Approximately 6,500 heart transplants are performed in the world each year and the limiting factor for more heart transplants are the lack of donated hearts and that the generally accepted maximum transport time today is about four hours. The new preservation method includes a machine that supplies the heart with important substances in an oxygenated solution before transplantation. In previous animal experiments using the new method, the preservation time for the donated heart has been extended from today’s approximately four hours to approximately 12 hours.
Skåne University Hospital has obtained ethical approval to initially perform a study including six patents.
If the new method proves to work as well in human beings as in animals, it will be possible to use considerably more hearts for transplantation. In the longer term this will mean that the most suitable recipient can receive the donated organ with distance being less of a limiting factor.
“We are delighted that the first successful heart transplant using Stig Steen’s new heart solution and machine has now been performed in a human being. Previous results from animal experiments are promising and we look forward to the next stages of the clinical study,” says Magnus Nilsson, XVIVO Perfusion’s CEO.
September 12, 2017
Gothenburg
Magnus Nilsson, CEO
XVIVO Perfusion AB (publ)