Russian Scientists Develop Device for Transporting Donor Hearts for Transplantation
Scientists from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT) have developed a device using new technologies that allows for extending the transportation time of a donor heart for transplantation. The institute’s press service reported that this new technology makes it possible for the first time in Russia to transport a heart in an ambulance at human body temperature, which extends the permissible transportation period.
The same source added that this system is the first of its kind in Russia to transport a heart at human body temperature. Indeed, the most common method of transporting an organ in ice preserves the viability of the heart for a maximum of 4 to 5 hours, while the Russian innovation allows the heart to be transported for more than 6 hours. The developers currently have a prototype of the system that can be installed in an ambulance.
Instead of cooled solutions that stop muscle contractions, Russian scientists decided to use a solution called “Normocor” which contains sugars and ions that stop the heartbeat of cardiac tissues while improving their ability to survive at body temperature.
Andrey Berezin, a member of the development team, said that heart contraction requires a lot of energy, which is why stopping it can prolong the life of the heart. If done carefully, without disrupting or causing spasms in the blood vessels, this period is significantly increased. He explained that the “Normocor” solution stops the heartbeat due to its composition. The MIPT team of scientists plans to adapt the new innovative device so that it can also transport other organs.
