Harvard University: Structural racism impacts kidney transplants. Really!

I bet this is another peace of junk journalism!

The demagoguery of comparing skin colors instead of socio-economic factors etc. Disgusting!

"Despite higher rates of end-stage kidney disease, Black patients face lower access to live-donor kidney transplants. Structural barriers, like residential segregation and the high financial burden of donation, are to blame."

"... Black individuals have an almost four times higher rate of end-stage kidney disease, but their rate of live-donor kidney transplantation is more than four times lower than their White counterparts. ..."

Harvard Public Health Weekly

Why Black patients are less likely to get life-saving kidney transplants "Innate bias [???], residential segregation, and the high cost of donation are all barriers."

A new kind of organ retrieval procedure aka normothermic regional perfusion is spreading

Good news!

"To both help alleviate the chronic shortage of organs and improve transplant outcomes, doctors are turning to a new kind of organ retrieval procedure, normothermic regional perfusion (NRP), that produces more, high quality livers, kidneys, and hearts.

 

The procedure replenishes the oxygen deprivation that the organs incur during the dying process, meaning they’re recovered in a healthier state. About half of the nation’s 56 organ procurement organizations have already started using NRP, according to the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations. ..."

Global Health NOW: Vancouver’s Catastrophic Overdose Epidemic; Milk Bank Banned; and More Organs—More Ethical Questions

World Kidney Day 2024 and π Day

Did you know today is World Kidney Day? We all have something to share until we shared it!

Why not eat some pie on World π Day! Credits: What Is π? Why Is π Important?

Don't we like odd coincidences? 😊 Don't be shy!

Homepage - World Kidney Day 2024

Novel perfusion machine can keep livers alive for a week

Great news!

"The machine provides pulsing blood through an artery of the liver, mimicking natural blood supply. This pulsing of the blood flow is essential to prevent red blood cells from bursting, which can damage the liver. Through the blood, the machine delivers nutrients and controls glucose levels and oxygenation, monitoring their levels using a series of sensors.

To remove the waste products produced, the team incorporated a dialysis unit to the machine, which uses an algorithm to automatically adjust the flow and control the concentration of red blood cells.

Finally, in addition to nutrients, the liver also needs to be kept constantly moving to prevent tissue death. To simulate the movement caused by the diaphragm, the team placed a balloon below the liver to create automated movement."


Novel perfusion machine can keep livers alive for a week – Physics World: A team from Zurich has developed a new perfusion machine that can keep donor livers alive outside of the body for seven days