Organs are preserved once removed from the donor through a process called organ preservation. This process is crucial to maintain the viability and functionality of the organs before they are transplanted into the recipient’s body. There are several methods used for organ preservation, depending on the type of organ and the duration it needs to be stored before transplantation.
One common method of organ preservation is cold storage, where the organs are cooled to temperatures between 0°C and 4°C. Cold storage slows down the metabolic processes in the organs, reducing their oxygen and nutrient requirements and extending their viability outside the body. This method is commonly used for organs like kidneys, liver, and pancreas.
Another method is hypothermic machine perfusion, where the organ is connected to a machine that pumps a cold preservation solution through its blood vessels. This method allows for better preservation of organs like hearts and lungs by providing oxygen and nutrients to the tissues during storage.
For longer-term preservation or transportation over longer distances, some organs can be preserved using techniques such as cryopreservation or vitrification. These methods involve freezing the organs at very low temperatures to halt all biological activity until they are ready for transplantation.
Organ preservation techniques continue to evolve with ongoing research aimed at improving outcomes for transplant recipients by enhancing organ quality and increasing transplant success rates.
Overall, organ preservation plays a critical role in ensuring successful organ transplantation by maintaining organ viability and functionality during storage and transportation.
In other words, organs are typically preserved using a process called organ preservation. This involves cooling the organs to slow down metabolism and reduce the rate of cellular damage. Different methods are used depending on the organ and the intended duration of preservation. Common techniques include cold storage using special solutions like University of Wisconsin (UW) solution or Belzer solution, hypothermic machine perfusion, and normothermic machine perfusion. These methods help maintain the viability of organs outside the body for transplantation.
