The National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH) has successfully transplanted a donor heart without stopping its beating for even a second, marking a historic first in the world of medicine. This significant achievement was reported by Fox News.
Until now, the method used for donor heart transplants primarily involved cold storage. In this process, the blood circulation of the donor organ is temporarily halted, reducing the oxygen supply to the heart muscle. As a result, there is an increased risk of tissue damage and rejection by the recipient's body.
Taiwanese surgeons have developed a new innovative technology that completely eliminates these issues. Their newly developed system functions as a portable life-support device, continuously supplying the donor heart with oxygen-rich blood. This system keeps the heart actively functioning outside the human body using pumps, oxygenators, and special reservoirs.
During the first such operation, the donor heart was transplanted between operating rooms while still connected to special equipment and continuing to beat. The recipient of the heart was a 49-year-old woman suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy. After the operation, the patient began to recover quickly, and the levels of enzymes, which are key indicators of heart health, showed very low levels. This indicates that the operation was successful.
Earlier in 2023, Stanford University in the USA performed a similar transplant, but in their method, the heart experienced ischemia for a short period (10-30 minutes). The Taiwanese surgeons' method guarantees that the heart does not stop beating for even a second.
Experts note that this represents a true revolution in the field of medicine, significantly enhancing the safety and effectiveness of heart transplants. The new technology has generated great interest in the medical world and expands the possibilities of saving many lives during the process of transplanting donor organs.
