Cambridgeshire surgeons perform Europe's first non-beating heart transplant
Recipient, Huseyin Ulucan, 60, said he was “feeling stronger every day”
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Surgeons in Cambridgeshire have performed Europe’s first heart transplant using a non-beating heart.
Usually, heart transplants are carried out using donors who are brain-stem dead, but whose hearts are still beating.
However, surgeons at the Papworth Hospital were able to restart the heart of a donor whose was clinically dead, test that it was functioning properly and transplant into a patient.
It is hoped that the technique could expand the pool of donors for heart transplants by about 25 per cent – saving many lives.
The recipient, Huseyin Ulucan, 60, from London, who suffered a heart attack in 2008, said he was “feeling stronger every day”, since the surgery.
Kidneys, lungs and livers from non-beating heart donors are already used, but the heart is not used amid concerns it could suffer damage in the process.
The new procedure involved restoring blood supply to the heart five minutes after death. After restarting surgeons ensured it was functioning properly before removing it and transferring to a ‘heart-in-a-box’ machine that keeps the organ nourished ready for transplantation.
In the past year there have been 171 heart transplants in the UK, but supply of donor organs outstrips demand and many patients die waiting for a transplant.
Surgeons in Australia became the first to transplant a so-called ‘dead’ heart last year.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments