A man from Quebec, aged 64, has made history by becoming the first individual in North America to undergo a liver transplant using a regenerated liver. This innovative technology shows promise in potentially increasing the availability of transplantable livers by a significant margin within its initial year of implementation.
Gérard Landry, a resident of Nouvelle in Quebec, had been grappling with liver issues for approximately 15 years, which eventually led to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Prior to his liver transplant surgery, Landry was informed by his doctor about the use of a groundbreaking machine at Montreal’s Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM) that regenerated the liver he was about to receive.
Known as Liver Assist, this technology enables medical professionals to treat and evaluate a donated liver externally before the transplantation process. For Landry, this meant receiving a liver that might not have been deemed viable otherwise due to associated risks.
Dr. David Hénault, a liver transplant specialist at CHUM who led Landry’s operation, mentioned that the team had been preparing for the technology’s utilization for around three years. The Liver Assist system functions by connecting a donated liver to a machine that circulates an oxygen-rich fluid through the organ, potentially reversing damage caused by oxygen deprivation outside the body.
Following initial evaluation, the technology facilitates a transition to a blood-based solution to assess the liver’s functionality in conditions mimicking the human body. Hénault emphasized that if the liver performs well on the machine, it is likely to function effectively in the recipient’s body.
At CHUM, where approximately 70 liver transplants are conducted annually, a collaboration with Transplant Québec analyzed previously declined livers to identify recoverable ones using the new technology. It is estimated that the machine could make an additional 20 to 24 livers available for transplantation in its inaugural year, a figure expected to grow with wider adoption of the technology.
Studies have indicated that Liver Assist could lead to reduced complications, reoperations, and hospital stays for suitable patients. Landry’s post-transplant progress has been positive, with his blood work showing better-than-anticipated results just a day after the surgery.
As Landry continues his recovery in Montreal with regular follow-up appointments, he eagerly anticipates returning to Gaspésie to reunite with his family, friends, and horses. His journey serves as a testament to the importance of organ donation discussions, as advanced technology alone cannot suffice without a sufficient supply of donated organs, as Landry aptly put it, “if you have a horse without a rider, you don’t have a ride.”
