First trial of new kidney donation method in Scandinavia
For the first time in Scandinavia, kidneys from a deceased patient in emergency care have been donated to research. The results raise hope that more organs can be used for transplantation in the future—potentially saving more lives.
Researchers at the University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital are conducting a study in which kidneys from a donor who suffered circulatory arrest outside a hospital have been retrieved and treated with a new method. The goal is to determine whether organs previously considered unusable can be restored and used for transplantation.
New technique to restore kidney function
This new technique for so-called reconditioning involves flushing the kidney of a heart-deceased patient with a solution that has precisely the right composition of salts, pH balance, oxygen saturation, pressure, and temperature. This process halts the organ’s breakdown and allows it to recover.
The method has previously been tested in animal studies, but this is the first time it has been applied to human organs.
Here, you can read more about the research in the study.
“The human kidneys were easier to treat than in previous experimental studies on pigs and showed very good quality at the end of the trial,” says Michael Olausson, professor of transplant surgery at the Institute of Clinical Sciences and principal investigator of the study.
Before moving on to the next phase, researchers plan to evaluate two to four more kidneys.
Potential to reduce organ shortages
“The kidneys look better than they did in animal models, so we are very hopeful that this could help solve the organ shortage,” says Michael Olausson.
Each year, around 500 kidney transplants are performed in Sweden, but the demand far exceeds the supply. At the start of the year, approximately 700 people were on the waiting list for a new organ. If kidneys previously deemed unsuitable due to oxygen deprivation can be salvaged, more patients may have the chance to receive a transplant.
Next step: transplantation
When could the first transplant take place?
“We will apply for a new ethical approval and, hopefully, be able to transplant these kidneys into patients on the waiting list. In the best-case scenario, we hope to begin this by fall,” says Michael Olausson.
If the results continue to be promising, the method could become a valuable tool for increasing the number of organs available for transplantation—ultimately saving more lives.
The study is made possible through donations from the Jane and Dan Olsson Foundation for Scientific Purposes, as well as the Swedish Research Council (VR), LUA ALF, the Kidney Foundation, the Gelin Foundation, and the Hans-Gabriel and Alice Trolle-Wachtmeister Foundation for Medical Research.
Text: Jakob Lundberg