New NHS machine that can keep donated lungs alive for up to six hours

Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleAn organ donor card (NHS Blood and Transplant) (PA Media)A new machine designed to keep donated lungs alive outside the body is set for use on the NHS, offering hope to the approximately 170 people, including six children, awaiting a new lung in the UK. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) has issued draft guidance recommending the machine's use for four years to gather evidence on its benefits and cost-effectiveness. Currently, only 23 per cent of donated lungs that meet suitability criteria are used for transplants, but the new technology could potentially rescue four in five of those currently discarded. The machine functions by warming donated lungs to body temperature, pumping a fluid mimicking blood plasma through them, and ventilating them to simulate normal breathing, allowing for treatment and monitoring. This initiative aims to significantly improve the availability of organs for patients facing long and uncertain waits for lung transplants, many of whom currently die before a suitable organ becomes available. In fullMachine that keeps lungs alive outside the body set for NHS useMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

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