April 27 : A new study has found that the Organ Care System (OCS) is better than the cold preservation method in increasing the survival of organ recipients, as it reduces the time interval for transported organs, thus preserving the organ better.

The cold preservation method delivers the organ in a non-functioning state immersed in a cold solution for preservation during transport. The time during transport in this method is referred to as cold ischemic time (CIT), more specifically the interval beginning when an organ is removed from the donor and is cooled with the solution, to the time when the organ is implanted.

On the other hand, OCS is based on warm blood perfusion technology, and maintains the organs in a warm, functioning state. This state mimics the environment in the human body during transport from an organ donor to the recipient. Nutrient rich, oxygenated blood is continuously pumped through the heart in order to maintain the organ in a living, beating state.

German and British researchers from the Clinic for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Medicine, Bad Oeynhausen, and the German Heart Institute in Berlin, Germany, Papworth Hospital, Harefield Hospitals, NHS Trusts in Cambridge and Middlesex, the UK, conducted the study.

The research, titled PROTECT I clinical trial, ‘Prospective Multi-Center European Trial To Evaluate the Safety and Performance of the Organ Care System for Heart Transplants’ aimed at studying the efficacy of the OCS in regards to survivorship of organ transplant recipients.

The results showed 100 percent survival, 30 days post surgery, among patients who were implanted with organs preserved under the OCS method.

Results further revealed that using the OCS allowed for patients to spend less time on the ventilator and experience a quicker recovery in the hospital

Preserving an organ with OCS method also reduced CIT and allowed for evaluation of organ function during transport, the scientists said.

“The PROTECT trial results establish validity of the Organ Care System (OCS). Given its relatively recent introduction to the transplant world, we are excited about the results and look forward to seeing what further tests will demonstrate about this innovative system,” said Bruce Rosengard, former board member of the ISHLT.

“These results should alert the transplant community of issues that need immediate attention in order to increase survivorship in transplant patients. The amount of life years gained through better efficiency within the organ transport system is astonishing,” Rosengard added.

The findings were presented at 27th Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT). (ANI)