From theory to practice: after announcing in 2020 that they had developed a machine to repair injured livers and keep them alive outside the body for a week, scientists have now used the technology to save a cancer patient.
This content was published on
2 minutes
SRF/dos
Português
pt
Médicos de Zurique conseguem tratar e transplantar fígado lesionado
The Liver4Life multidisciplinary project, which called the event a “world first”, said on TuesdayExternal link it had managed to repair a damaged liver during a three-day period when it was kept outside the body, before it was successfully implanted into a cancer patient.
A year after recovery, the patient is still doing well. “I’m very grateful for the life-saving organ,” he is quoted as saying. “Due to my rapidly progressing tumour, I had little chance of getting a liver from the waiting list within a reasonable period of time.”
More
More
Voters give consent to new ‘opt-out’ system of organ donation
This content was published on
A clear majority on Sunday backed the move from explicit to presumed consent, a shift supporters say will boost organ donation rates and save lives.
The Liver4Life project was started in 2015 and involves researchers from the University Hospital Zurich, Zurich’s Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ), the Wyss Zurich research group and the University of Zurich.
The technology is based on a complex perfusion system that mimics core body functions: a pump replaces the heart, an oxygenator the lungs, a dialysis unit the kidneys. Hormone and nutrient infusions do the job of the intestine and pancreas, and rhythmic movements imitate the diaphragm.
The first success noted by the project in 2020 managed to keep a liver alive for a week; researchers hope that this timeframe can be further extended to up to 10 days, in order to increase the amount of successful transplantations – which currently need to happen within a very narrow window.
Normally, organs for liver transplants only stay viable for 12 hours after being removed from the donor and put on ice.
More
More
Swiss machine keeps human livers alive for a week
This content was published on
Zurich scientists have developed a machine that repairs injured human livers and can keep them alive outside the body for one week.
Swiss price watchdog slams excessive prices for generic medicines
This content was published on
The cheapest generic medicines available in Switzerland are more than twice as expensive as in other countries, according to a study by the Swiss price watchdog.
Nature should not figure in net zero calculations: academic study
This content was published on
The natural removal of CO2 from the atmosphere by forests or oceans should not be included in the net-zero balance of climate protection measures, argue researchers.
This content was published on
None of the 15 major Swiss retail banks is meeting international climate and biodiversity targets, according to a ranking by WWF Switzerland.
This content was published on
Nestlé's new CEO Laurent Freixe, has presented plans for the future of the world's largest food company, after his first few weeks in office.
Swiss foreign minister calls on Moscow to end Ukraine war
This content was published on
It's high time Moscow ended its war against Ukraine, Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis tells the UN Security Council.
This content was published on
The only alternative to the UN Palestinian agency’s work in Gaza is to allow Israel to run services there, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, told reporters in Geneva on Monday.
Study reveals food culture differences between Switzerland and neighbours
This content was published on
Three-quarters of Swiss people consider eating to be a pleasurable, social activity, a new survey reveals. Healthy eating, however, plays a much less important role, it found.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.