A 64-year-old man from Quebec has made history as the first individual in North America to undergo a liver transplant with a regenerated liver. This innovative technology could potentially increase the availability of livers for transplantation by dozens within its initial year.
The patient, Gérard Landry, hailing from Nouvelle in Quebec’s Gaspé Peninsula, had been grappling with liver issues for around 15 years, leading to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Prior to his surgery at Montreal’s Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM), his doctor revealed that his new liver had been regenerated using a novel machine.
Referred to as Liver Assist, this technology permits doctors to treat and evaluate a donated liver outside the body before the transplant. For Landry, this meant receiving an organ that might otherwise have been deemed too risky for transplantation.
Dr. David Hénault, a specialist in hepatopancreatobiliary surgery and liver transplants at CHUM, spearheaded the project and conducted Landry’s surgery. The Liver Assist system functions by connecting a donated liver to a machine that circulates an oxygen-rich fluid through the organ, potentially reversing oxygen-related damage while outside the body.
Hénault mentioned that the technology enables a transition to a blood-based solution, allowing doctors to assess the liver’s functionality in conditions simulating the human body. The liver Landry received was particularly suitable for this technology due to its susceptibility to oxygen-related damage during the transfer process.
CHUM typically performs approximately 70 liver transplants annually. Hénault, in collaboration with Transplant Québec, assessed previously declined livers for transplantation viability using the new technology. The team anticipates that the machine could potentially introduce an additional 20 to 24 livers for transplantation within its initial year of use, with potential for further growth.
Hénault highlighted that studies have indicated the technology’s capacity to reduce complications, reoperations, and hospital stays for suitable patients. Landry displayed positive signs of a successful transplant shortly after the operation, with improved blood work results surpassing expectations.
As Landry recuperates in Montreal and undergoes regular blood tests, he anticipates returning to Gaspésie once fully recovered. Reflecting on his journey, he expressed eagerness to reunite with his family, grandson, friends, and horses. He also aims to raise awareness about organ donation, emphasizing the importance of having donated organs available for advanced technologies to make an impact.
The advanced technology used in Landry’s case, along with the successful outcome of his transplant, serves as a beacon of hope for patients in need of life-saving transplants.
