Outside-the-body system revitalizes less-than-ideal donor kidneys for transplant
TORONTO — Dr. Markus Selzner has just come from surgery, still in his scrubs, and he’s excited to show off his baby.
A configuration of fluid-filled tubing, pumps and other mechanical components, it’s not the prettiest baby — but it’s one Selzner and his team hope will one day revolutionize kidney transplants by boosting the number of available donor organs.
The “ex-vivo” machine, five years in development, preserves and rejuvenates less-than-ideal kidneys by mimicking the conditions inside the body prior to transplant.
Those could be kidneys from deceased extended-criteria donors who were over age 60, or from younger donors who had a condition such as high blood pressure or diabetes or had died from a stroke.