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In a historic flight, the University of Maryland was able to convince a drone to deliver a donor kidney to surgeons waiting for his transplant. This move could not only speed up transport, but also give distant patients access to organs. ( UMMCVideos | Youtube )
A drone completed the successful delivery of an organ for a kidney transplant, marking the first time in the history of an unmanned aircraft performing such a delivery.
It's a feat that could change the face of organ transplants, making delivery safer, more accessible and more affordable for everyone.
A drone brings a kidney to the patient
According to a press release issued by the Medical Center of the University of Maryland, researchers used an unmanned aircraft to bring a kidney from a donor to medical center surgeons for transplantation on a patient .
WKYT reports that the drone transported its precious cargo from West Baltimore to the medical center 4.5 km away.
Before receiving the transplant, the 44-year-old kidney patient had been on dialysis for eight years. Describing this achievement as "incredible", she left the hospital on Tuesday, April 23.
It took the collaboration of many transplant doctors, researchers, aviation experts, engineers and other stakeholders to get the project off the ground. The custom drone includes eight rotors and several powertrains to ensure optimum performance even in the event of a component failure.
"We had to create a new system that was still part of the FAA's regulatory structure, but also able to support the extra weight of the organ, cameras, and tracking, communication, and organ safety systems. in a densely populated urban area … for a longer distance and with more endurance, "said Matthew Scbadero, director of the UAS test site at the University of Maryland.
The drone had already carried various medical cargoes, including blood tubes and saline.
Drones offer the potential to improve the delivery of organs
For its maiden flight, the drone may have seemed to travel a short distance, but it's a big step forward for both donors and patients.
Transport is a crucial part of the organ transplantation process, but it is often the most complicated because there are few means of transport and the organ remains viable only for a very limited time. Many rural and remote areas of the country are not covered by the current means of transport, which limits the access of patients in these areas to the organs they may need.
In 2018, about 1.5% of deceased donor organ collections failed to reach their destination, while nearly 4% of organ harvesting was delayed by two hours or more, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing. The total number of candidates on the waiting list for an organ transplant is currently 113,662.
With a drone able to travel great distances quickly and safely, more of these patients can access organs that can save lives.
"Providing an organ from a donor to a patient is a sacred duty with many moving parts," said Dr. Joseph Scalea, project leader, explaining that the new technology opened up opportunities for improving the patient's ability. Access and a larger pool of donors. "It is essential that we find ways to do it better."
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