New Technology Aims to Improve Donor Liver Evaluation Before Transplants

Along with the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation, Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a real-time monitoring system designed to give transplant teams a more complete picture of a donor liver’s health during machine perfusion. Published in Nature Communications, the study is an important step toward more accurately evaluating donor livers and lays the groundwork for future advances in organ preservation and transplantation, according to the Mayo Clinic.

During machine perfusion, a donor liver is connected to a device that pumps oxygen-rich fluid through the organ while outside the body.

“Machine perfusion is opening the door to a future where we don’t just evaluate organs, we treat them and even improve them before transplant,” said Michelle Nguyen, M.D., a transplant surgeon at Mayo Clinic in Arizona and co-corresponding study author. “But to get there, we first need better ways to understand how an organ is performing in real time. That’s what this technology is built to provide.”

Current monitoring methods rely on manually collecting fluid samples from the organ every 30 to 60 minutes, testing them on point-of-care devices or sending them to a laboratory for analysis. Those periodic snapshots may miss important changes occurring between samples. Detecting biochemical changes or early signs that organ health is declining allows clinicians and perfusionists to intervene before permanent damage occurs.

To address this challenge, researchers developed a new wireless sensor platform that continuously measures glucose, lactate and pH in both the perfusion fluid and bile; streaming results to the care team in real time.

In the study, the sensor’s measurements closely matched standard laboratory testing while also detecting brief biochemical changes between routine sampling intervals. The findings suggest that real-time bile and perfusion fluid monitoring may provide valuable information about donated liver health that current approaches may be unable to detect.

“Every organ donated is incredibly valuable,” Dr. Nguyen stated. “By giving transplant teams a clearer understanding of an organ’s health, we’re working toward a future where more donated livers can safely reach the patients who need them most.”

Researchers say larger studies will be needed to further evaluate the technology and its potential to improve donor organ assessment. Looking ahead, the team is working to expand the sensor platform to capture additional organ health markers and create a more comprehensive assessment panel. Researchers also plan to adapt the technology for other organs, including the kidney, heart, and lung.

The study was co-led by Dr. Nguyen and Yangzhi Zhu, Ph.D., of the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation.

Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research.

Mayo Clinic Transplant Center is one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive transplant programs. With branches in Arizona, Florida, and Minnesota, Mayo Clinic provides seamless, coordinated care across adult heart, lung, liver, kidney, and pancreas transplantation.