Canadian study discovers way to make ‘universal’ organs for all transplant recipients
Global News
A new first-of-its-kind study out of Canada has discovered a way to make 'universal' organs that could be used in all transplant recipients regardless of their blood type.
A new first-of-its-kind study out of Canada has discovered a way to make “universal” organs that could be used in all transplant recipients regardless of their blood type.
“It’s going to become a big, big deal,” said Dr. Marcelo Cypel, surgical director of the Ajmera Centre at Toronto’s University Health Network, and senior author of the study. “We’ll create a much more equal and fair distribution of donor organs to patients on the waitlist.”
The proof-of-concept study, conducted in Toronto and published on Wednesday, has demonstrated the possibility of safely converting blood type in donor organs for transplantation, which would not only make the wait shorter for patients, but also decrease mortality.
Currently, among other factors, patients are matched with a donor based on blood type, which in many cases can make waiting a whole lot longer.
A person’s blood type is determined by the presence of antigens on the surface of the red blood cells in their body. Type A blood has the A antigen, B has the B antigen, AB has both and O has none, the study published in Science Translational Medicine explains.
Because Antigens A and B are present on the surface of blood vessels in the body, including vessels in solid organs, an organ would likely be rejected if given to someone with a different blood type than them.
“If I have someone that is very sick and for example is an O blood type and they get a B or A donor offer for transplantation, I cannot transplant that patient,” Dr. Cypel said. “That patient may die before the next organ is available for him or for her.”
Patients with type O blood wait on average twice as long to receive a lung transplant compared to patients who are type A, according to Dr. Aizhou Wang, a scientific associate working with Dr. Cypel. This means patients who are type O have a 20 per cent higher risk of dying while waiting to be matched.