Many deceased organ donors in the UK suffer circulatory failure before their organs are retrieved, during which time the organs are starved of oxygen and switch to anaerobic metabolism - which consumes most of their energy reserves. There then follows a period of several hours of cold storage, which compounds the damage that the halted blood flow has caused. However, if a circulation of warm, oxygenated blood is restored to specific donor organs for a period of two hours before they are cooled, they recover in situ, replenish their depleted energy stores, and are much better able to tolerate a subsequent period of cold storage. This process is known as Normothermic Regional Perfusion (NRP). In this project, we intend to develop a prototype, compact NRP system with a single connector between the disposable, single-use blood flow circuit and the durable base unit, which contains the pumps, electronics and control instrumentation. The system will be easily portable, enabling it to be carried by the organ retrieval team to any hospital, and will enhance the utilisation and effectiveness of transplanted organs.
| Dr. Paul Robertson |
Department of Engineering |
| Prof. Chris Watson |
Professor of Transplantation, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust |
