Response from Dr Berry to First Entry
The techniques involved for preserving organs for transplantation have improved significantly over the past 30 years. Many types of tissues and organs can now be transplanted, and the length of time that they remain viable (alive) while waiting to be transplanted varies from a few hours to many months. The length of time that an organ or tissue can remain in storage depends on the organ and the method of preservation.
The following tissues and organs have been successfully transplanted in humans: heart, lung, liver, kidney, intestine, pancreas (secretes insulin to cure diabetics), bone [can be used in some spine (back) and orthopedic operations], cornea (the clear part of the eye), tendon (used in joint repairs for athletes that injure their knees), and blood vessel.
We don't often think about it, but a blood transfusion is also a transplant since blood cells are taken from one person and given to another. Thousands of transfusions of red blood cells and platelets are used every day in the United States. Blood for transfusion can be stored for about a month while platelets can be stored only for a couple of days.
Once an organ or tissue is taken from a donor, the cells begin to die unless something is done to stop the process. The cells making up the organs require oxygen and nutrients to live, but preservative solutions or other techniques are used to stop or slow the cells' death long enough until the organ can be transplanted. For organs like liver, kidneys, and pancreas, this includes pumping special perservative solutions through the blood vessels of the organ and cooling it with ice. The cold temperature reduces the metabolism (activity) of the cells, and the preservative solution keeps the cells from dying and breaking down. Before these organs are transplanted, the preservative solutions are flushed out (removed). Once the organ is transplanted, it will warm up and the cells will start to function again. Even with current methods of preservation, cells of organs like lung and pancreas can survive only a few hours before they must be transplanted. Other tissues like bone and tendons are preserved using other methods such that they can be stored for many months before use.
Medical researchers are continuing to work on developing better techniques to preserve organs for transplantation to lenghten the time that an organ can be stored and to improve the chances that the organs will survive after transplantation.
Till next time,
Dr. Berry