Now a heart can be flown around world
Scientists have revealed a device that keeps a heart beating inside a jar for 24 hours – potentially saving thousands of lives.
The machine can extend the amount of time a donor heart can be out of the body from the current four hours to a full day.
The device, named ULISSES, was unveiled at a conference in Seattle last week by a team of scientists from the University of Texas Health.
It means the donor heart could be flown almost anywhere in the world to a matching recipient.
The device, expected to cost less than £100,000, is small enough to fit into a carry-on case.
It works by connecting the heart to an oxygen tank and suspending it in preservation fluid in a jar.
The liquid keeps the heart nourished while it is transported and the device pulses 60 times a minute to pump sufficient nutrients and oxygen around the organ.
Researchers have successfully tested it on pig hearts, which are similar to human hearts, and it’s believed the first human trials could happen within months.
The university’s Dr Rafael Revaza described the machine as “a game-changer that has the potential to save thousands of lives”.
Developers hope it could be widely used within five to 10 years.
In the UK, there are currently 328 people on the heart transplant waiting list, including 39 children.
The average waiting time for a transplant is nearly three years.