Normothermic regional perfusion (NRP) is an innovative technique used primarily in the field of organ transplantation. It is a type of Extracorporeal Organ Support (ECOS), which means it involves temporarily sustaining organ perfusion via mechanical support outside the body. Here’s an overview of what NRP entails, its working mechanism, its historical development, and current research findings:

What is Normothermic Regional Perfusion (NRP)?

NRP is a medical procedure used to preserve organ function and improve the quality of organs retrieved from donors after circulatory death. The traditional method of organ preservation relies on cooling the organs to slow down their metabolic rates—a scene often dramatized in TV shows with doctors urgently carrying a heart or kidney in a portable cooler. This method, known as static cold storage, aims to reduce the cellular activity and oxygen demands of the organ, thereby minimizing damage during transportation.

 

However, this approach has significant limitations. Cooling only passively preserves the organs and does not actively support their physiological functions. Without active blood circulation, there is no oxygen or nutrient delivery, which can lead to ischemic injury—the damage caused by a lack of oxygen and build-up of metabolic waste products in the tissues. Furthermore, cold storage provides no way to assess organ function before transplantation, leading to potential uncertainties about organ viability. These limitations can result in poorer outcomes post-transplant, including higher rates of organ rejection or failure.

 

In contrast, methods like NRP actively perfuse organs with oxygenated blood at body temperature, maintaining their function and allowing for viability assessments prior to transplant, which significantly improves transplant success rates. Recent studies suggest that implementing NRP could increase the availability of transplantable hearts by 15-30%, potentially transforming heart transplantation and significantly reducing waitlist mortality rates.

How It Works

NRP involves the use of extracorporeal circulation devices to restore circulation to the abdominal and/or thoracic organs of a Donor after Circulatory Death (DCD). These devices are similar to those used in Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) but are applied specifically for organ preservation:

 

• Cannulation: Inserting cannulas into major blood vessels to facilitate the flow of blood.
• Perfusion: Starting the perfusion machine to oxygenate, correct acid-base and electrolyte imbalances, and maintain normothermic conditions of the blood returning to the donor’s organs.
• Assessment: Monitoring the function of the organs to determine their viability for transplantation.

 

After the initial NRP session, the pathway for organ preservation can vary depending on the transplantation center’s protocols and the assessed condition of the organ. Some facilities may transition the organs to cold static storage, where the organs are cooled to slow metabolic rates and preserve them until transplantation. Others might utilize mechanical organ perfusion systems like the Organ Care System™ (OCS), which maintains organs in a normothermic state and actively perfuses them with oxygenated blood and nutrients, enhancing their functionality and longevity until they are transplanted.

NRP vs. ECMO: Understanding the Differences

While both NRP and ECMO utilize advanced extracorporeal technology, their applications, procedural details, and objectives are distinct:

 

• Purpose: ECMO provides life support for living patients with critical cardiac or respiratory failure. NRP, on the other hand, is used post-mortem for organ preservation in potential donors.
• Equipment: The same or very similar equipment can often be used for both ECMO and NRP. However, the setup and specifics of the procedure may differ, particularly in terms of the cannulation sites and perfusion targets.
• Outcome Goals: The primary goal of ECMO is to sustain life by supporting heart and lung function until recovery or a further medical solution is achieved. NRP focuses on maximizing the viability and quality of organs for transplantation.

History of NRP

The concept of NRP has evolved over the past few decades with advancements in medical technology and a better understanding of organ preservation. Initially, organ preservation was predominantly conducted under hypothermic conditions, but with the limitations associated with cold ischemia, such as reduced ability to assess organ function and potential damage from reperfusion injury, interest shifted towards normothermic techniques.

 

NRP began to gain traction in the early 2000s as a means to enhance outcomes for DCD (Donation after Circulatory Death) organ transplants. Traditionally, organs retrieved from DCD donors exhibited poorer outcomes compared to those from brain-dead donors. This discrepancy is primarily due to the ischemic damage that organs suffer during the period between the cessation of heartbeat and the initiation of preservation measures.

 

However, by maintaining the organs at normal body temperature and supplying them with oxygenated blood, NRP mitigates this ischemic damage, thereby improving the viability and function of the organs before transplantation.

Current Research and Findings

Research on NRP has shown promising results:

 

• Improved Organ Viability: Studies have demonstrated that NRP can significantly improve the function and viability of organs, particularly kidneys and livers, by reducing ischemic injury and allowing metabolic activity to continue.
• Increased Transplant Success: Data indicates that NRP can lead to higher success rates in transplant surgeries, with lower rates of rejection and organ failure.
• Expansion of Donor Pool: By improving the quality of organs from DCD donors, NRP has the potential to expand the donor pool, which is crucial for addressing organ shortages.

 

Expanding Horizons in Organ Transplantation: Innovative ECMO and Perfusion Concepts

 

Innovative ECMO and Perfusion Concepts is bringing our extensive experience to ECOS and NRP. As DCD continues to expand, the demand for NRP services is rapidly increasing. We are uniquely positioned to meet this growing need with our complete turnkey support for DCD-NRP.

 

Our comprehensive service package includes nationwide on-call certified perfusionists and ECOS specialists who are equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, custom circuitry, and point-of-care testing capabilities. In addition to providing essential hardware, we also offer specialised ECOS team training tailored for DCD/NRP cases. This ensures that healthcare providers are fully prepared to handle the complexities of modern organ transplantation, enhancing the viability of organs and improving outcomes for transplant recipients across the country.