STA and TransMedics Use Technology to Maximize Donated Gifts and Save More Lives
Innovation Spotlight
Overview:
Southwest Transplant Alliance (STA) and TransMedics® have partnered to utilize the Organ Care System (OCS™) Lung System which allows for portable organ perfusion, ventilation and monitoring. This technology evaluates and preserves donated lungs prior to transplantation.
Case for Support:
“By partnering with TransMedics to utilize advanced technologies, STA can monitor and improve lung function to make more second chances at life possible for patients in desperate need.”
In some situations, donated organs may not be recovered or are turned down by transplant centers due to comorbidities or viability concerns. The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) shows donor lungs used in the OCS Lung EXPAND Trial had previously been declined an average of 35 times by other transplant centers before being accepted and transplanted by an OCS Lung System transplant center.
Through this partnership, the STA team screens lungs that are turned down by other transplant programs with TransMedics® to determine candidacy for use of the OCS Lung System. Once accepted, STA’s clinical team recovers the lungs and puts them on the pump to ensure they are in an optimal state before reevaluating and reallocating for transplant.
“This is the future of transplant,” said Vice President of Clinical Operations Doug Butler. “By partnering with TransMedics to utilize advanced technologies, STA can monitor and improve lung function to make more second chances at life possible for patients in desperate need. Our goal is to maximize every donated gift, every time. The waiting list cannot wait.”
Turn to Tech
STA’s state-of-the-art in-house recovery center, The Legacy Center, contains an operating room fitted for the use and monitoring of lungs accepted for the TransMedics® Organ Care System.
In April 2021, a set of donated lungs were rejected by numerous transplant centers. STA aims to maximize every donated gift and screened the lungs with TransMedics®. After being accepted for use with the OCS Lung System, the lungs were recovered. They remained on the pump for 17 hours, significantly extending the typical four-to-five-hour window from recovery and transplant. This permitted enough time for the team to reevaluate and reallocate the lungs to an OCS Lung System transplant center. The lungs were transported on the device and successfully transplanted into someone who may otherwise not have received their second chance at life.
In early May 2021, a second set of lungs were also accepted using the OCS Lung System, reevaluated and successfully transplanted.
“Harnessing the power of technology to coordinate life-critical shipments improves speed, accuracy and transparency. We are proud to play a part in STA’s lifesaving mission.”