In the first-of-its-kind groundbreaking procedure, doctors have managed to do the impossible as they brought a dead heart “back to life.
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Specialists at Duke University have tested their revolutionary procedure on the heart of a deceased donor and proved that it’s possible to bring the organ back to life by pumping oxygen, blood, and electrolytes in it.
As the experts have suggested, the procedure could save the lives of millions in the long run by eliminating the need to harvest hearts solely from live donors who are brain dead.
On the contrary, they could harvest hearts of people who have already passed away and resuscitate the organs once they are surgically extracted from their respective bodies.
WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES BELOW
The momentous procedure was recorded by the staff who proudly tweeted their success.
Since the first heart transplant in the United States back in 1968, more than 3,400 patients have received a new heart, whereas the demand for the lifesaving operation is growing, causing a shortage of organ donors.
According to the reports, there are currently over 100,000 patients on the waiting list to receive a new heart in the US alone.
With a similar situation all around the globe, the groundbreaking procedure is believed to have the potential to save millions of lives by allowing doctors to remove, revitalize, and reuse the hearts of donors after their passing.
“This is the first time in the US, which is a huge deal because transplant need and volume is so high, but a few centers around the world, including Papworth, have pioneered this effort,” Dr Jacob Schroder said of the Donation after Cardiac Death procedure in a statement to DailyMail.
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Replaced!