Tissue system a life-saver?

Press, 11 June 1984, Page 9

Tissue system a life-saver?

PA Wellington A system developed at Victoria .University "to extend the time that mammal tissue can be kept alive and functioning could save human and animal lives, its inventor claims. The Res-Del Perfusion system could, in principle, extend the time available for human organ transplant surgery, Dr Douglas Rees said.

Tissue which equipment can now keep alive about 10 hours for research, lasted for 24 to 72 hours using the Res-Del system, he said.

Experiments at the university showed the number of animals sacrificed in teaching and scientific research could be cut dramatically, said Dr Rees, a lecturer in physiology. Up to six animals could be saved for each one used in research which demanded this length of time. The system had kept rat hearts, comparable in functional response to human hearts, beating normally for up to 24 hours without external stimulus. Conventional equipment keeps similar hearts working to 10

hours, but only with electrical stimulation It would be theoretically possible to keep numan organs in the new unit, but research had not yet confirmed this, because a system of the size needed had not been built, Dr Rees said. Surgeons could be allowed longer to do human organ transplant surgery and the geographical area of the donor pool widened, he said. The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Shearer,

said he was delighted to learn of the perfusion system. "This is a further example of the highly innovative products New" Zealand companies are developing in the medical field." he said. However, Dr Shearer said it was about time some financiers helped to provide capital for the commercialisation of these medical technology developments. “Unfortunately at present all the risks seem to be taken by the inventors and the developers,” he said.