Scientists have created a device to maintain liver activity for a week

The main approach to the preservation of donor organs is to reversibly stop metabolism in tissues.In

In the case of the liver and other large organs, it is now possible to reversibly stop metabolism for about 12 to 18 hours.Often, this time is not enough to deliver the organ to the recipient and transplant it.

Researchers have come up with a solution to this problem – instead of looking for a way to temporarily stop metabolism in the organ's tissues, they have created the conditions in which it worksinside the body of a human or other mammal.

The installation is a cavity in which the natural conditions of the mammalian body are imitated, and artificial blood is constantly pumped through the donor organ.

Tests on several samples of pig livershowed that the organ can be stored for up to a week. The transplantation of the organ left in the system for a week was successful - the liver retained its functions and took root in the recipient's body.

The success of this unique system paves the wayfor many new vectors for the development of transplantology. Now we can repair the damaged liver, remove fat from it, or even grow new organs from its fragments.

Pierre-Alain Clavien, lead author of the study

Earlier, Russian scientists found a way to quadruple the preservation of donor organs for transplantation. Testing of the technology will take place in 2020.