A new technique developed by scientists in Scotland promises to revolutionise transplant medicine by doubling the life of donor organs and cutting failure rates.
Researchers at Edinburgh University have developed a new preservative solution for donor organs that could allow them to be stored for up to 48 hours.
The liquid, which contains an agent which releases nitric oxide, reduces the damage caused to cells and blood vessels by oxygen deprivation, one of the main causes of transplant failures.
Scientists believe the technique could pave the way for donor hearts, kidneys and livers to be flown to the UK from anywhere in the world.
Currently, transplants have to be carried out within 24 hours of the organ being taken from a live donor and almost immediately if the donor is dead.
A common cause of failed transplants is when the blood vessels shut down and collapse, starving the organ of oxygen. Lung transplants have the highest failure rate, 23%, followed by 16% for heart transplants, 14% for liver transplants and 6% for kidney transplants.
At the moment, about 1,000 Britons die on transplant waiting lists because of a shortage of donor organs in the UK.
Laboratory tests on cell cultures and blood vessels have shown that the new technique works and scientists hope to create a spin-off company that will begin tests on real organs.
"There is no doubt that subjecting blood vessels to the solution produced real benefits," said Professor Ian Megson, who is leading the research.
"We wanted to see if the time that organs could be stored for could be increased and if the blood vessels could be kept functional for longer. Achieving either one of those would have huge advantages and from the work we have done so far, the solution would appear to offer both. It certainly has promise."
A paper published by the university’s research and innovation department, states: "Clearly, there is an enormous market worldwide for modified organ preservation solutions that improve clinical outcome and, ultimately, reduce costs to health services through reducing the length of after-care and the need for repeat operations.
"The results indicate the solution would increase organ longevity prior to transplantation, compared to traditional solutions.
"The University of Edinburgh is now looking to take the research on towards product development and is seeking industrial partners to license and develop this technology."
Last year, 3,513 organ transplants were carried out in the UK from 1,853 dead and living donors. They included more than 2,300 kidney transplants, 670 liver transplants and 129 heart transplants.
More than 970 lives were saved and a further 2,711 people had their sight restored through a cornea transplant.
However, it is estimated that up to 10,000 people in the UK, including 800 in Scotland, currently need a transplant and, on average, about three people die each day before they receive an organ.
To tackle the shortfall, the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has suggested that all adults in the UK should be legally required to decide whether they want to donate their organs after they die. The RCP’s ethics committee wants to examine the possibility of "mandated choice" to increase the number of organ donors. About a third of people living in Scotland have registered to donate their organs.
Mark Macaskill