The long-term objective of this research plan is to develop a system that will provide vital organ support and hence increased preservation periods for organs donated for transplant. Potential application of the technology could dramatically impact the field of transplantation in terms of quantity, quality, and equitable distribution of organs. Commercial impact of implementation of such a system will provide time needed to achieve HLA testing, enhance the environment thus improving organ post-transplant performance, and allowing broad geographic distribution of organs when appropriate. The initial phase of the project will be to duplicate and adopt previous animal cardiac research to current equipment. Upon demonstration of efficatious utilization with dog hearts, prototypes will be developed for human evaluation. Initially, six human hearts that are unacceptable for whole organ transplant will be studied. Appropriate metabolic parameters will be examined to verify adequacy of support in the human heart. A clinical evaluation will then commence in ten clinical transplant centers and recipients will be followed to determine short-term organ survival. Cardiac application will provide economic resources and social incentive to develop systems for other organs. Lung, heart-lung, liver, and kidney constitute current development priorities.
