Vital Signs: Working to better preserve hearts for transplant

Studies have shown that hearts and other donor organs are very sensitive to the temperatures at which they are preserved during transport. Temperatures below 2 degrees Celsius have been shown to have a negative effect on outcomes for transplant patients and potentially be linked to complications related to the viability of a donor organ for transplant.

Another challenge is related to the lack of data related to organ conditions during transport. With the standard method of preserving organs — packing them in ice — it is difficult to know the precise temperature at which a donated organ is being preserved during transport. Read the full article in The Daily Progress.