Nanotechnology keeps transplant organs in prime condition

A monitoring system that ensures transplant organs arrive in perfect condition for life-saving surgery has just been put on show by scientists in the United Kingdom.

Scientists at the Northern Ireland BioEngineering Centre (Nibec) at the University of Ulster have developed sensors that are inserted in the organs to monitor if there has been any deterioration in the organs' condition since being removed from the donor.

The small sensors are flexible micro-electrodes based on pioneering nanotechnology and which are implanted in the donor organ. The electrodes monitor the electrical and chemical characteristics of the organ cell tissue and assess when the tissue of the organ begins to deteriorate.

"The monitoring system means that a surgeon can know immediately whether the organ is fit for transplantation or whether its condition has deteriorated during the journey. If the organs become unusable, the sensor read-outs offer clues as to why - and what can be done to prevent the same thing happening in the future.

The same miniature sensor technology can also be used to give instant read-outs and status reports on the organs' condition during transplant operations. It is based on a multifunctional silicon microprobe with integrated microsensors for the detection of key parameters indicating organ viability.

The sensor signals are processed on chip and transmitted to the acquisition system by wire transmission and telemetry transmission. In the organ transport system, the data acquisition system is based on a micro-controller, and is PC-based for the on-bed monitoring system.