The clinical potential of ex vivo lung perfusion

Abstract

The number of patients listed for lung transplantation largely exceeds the number of available transplantable organs because of both a shortage of organ donors and a low utilization rate of donor lungs. Normothermic ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) is a method that maintains the organ in physiologically protective conditions outside the body during preservation, and shows great promise to increase utilization of donor lungs by allowing more accurate evaluation, as well as treatment and repair, of damaged donor lungs prior to transplantation. This article will cover the rationale, technical details and results of experimental and clinical studies with EVLP. The significant potential applications of EVLP in lung transplantation, lung regeneration and oncology are discussed.

Keywords::

• ex vivo lung perfusion
• lung injury
• lung preservation
• lung repair
• regeneration

Financial & competing interests disclosure

Vitrolife sponsored the clinical trial of ex vivo lung perfusion in Toronto performed by the authors described in the text.The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.