The first of 15 specialised centres across the UK has been opened by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) as part of a pilot scheme to increase the use of organ perfusion technology and enable hundreds of additional kidney transplants a year, at a time when the transplant waiting list is longer than ever.
Around 8,000 people are currently waiting for an organ transplant, and 6,900 of those are waiting for a kidney. Under the pilot scheme, selected donated organs will be assessed and treated at the 15 assessment and recovery centres (ARCs), so more organs can be transplanted.
The centres will specialise in organ perfusion, where oxygenated blood and nutrients are circulated through donated organs.
Every year, hundreds of potential donor organs, including kidneys, are retrieved from donors, but are later discarded because doctors cannot be confident of their ability to function.
Meanwhile, hundreds of people die every year while waiting for a transplant. Kidney Care UK's Transplant Care in the UK report also highlighted the impact to mental health of being called to a transplant offer that did not go ahead.
Increased use of perfusion will make more organs suitable for transplantation, and by enabling organs to be kept in a safe and healthy state for longer, give clinicians more time to assess how well they work, so they can be transplanted with greater confidence.
If the pilot is successful and a UK-wide network is created, NHSBT predicts it will enable up to 750 extra life-saving and life-improving transplants every year, including 345 additional kidney transplants per year.
The average transplant would also be expected to function successfully for several additional years. This would be the first national network of its kind in the world.
Kidney Care UK previously supported NHSBT's bid for funding for the ARC programme. Our Director of Policy Fiona Loud said:
We welcome this innovation, which we have supported for some time; it is greatly needed because there are so many waiting for a transplant, including around 6,900 people with kidney failure. Making best use of technology so that generously donated organs can save more lives is just the right thing to do. We hope this pilot can deliver both hope and more longer-lasting transplants, soon.
You can read more about the ARC pilot scheme on the NHSBT website.
Credit for images: NHSBT