The group Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates is touting a breakthrough in the transportation of donated organs. KODA officials say on July 13th, for the first time, a donated kidney attached to a perfusion pump was flown unattended by a medical team. Brian Roe is KODA’s chief clinical officer.
“Normally when a kidney is flown around the country, it goes in a cooler, so it's preserved on ice. And with the grant we obtained through the kidney transplant collaborative, we were actually able to fly kidneys on a parcel top perfusion pump.
The flight took place July 13th, from Louisville to Mississippi. Roe said not having the kidney on ice increases the odds of a successful transplant – and that the procedure will eventually save lives.
“That same kidney was able to be kept viable on that pump with fluids being flushed the entire time, making the kidney that much more healthier when it reached his destination to be transplanted.”
Roe said a grant from the Kidney Transplant Collaborative helped make the procedure possible.
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