AI predicts Organ Donor Viability, Reducing Wasted Transplants by 60%
Washington D.C. - A new artificial intelligence tool is demonstrating a significant ability to predict the viability of organs from deceased donors, potentially cutting down on wasted procurement efforts by 60%, according to research unveiled today. The tool addresses a critical challenge in organ transplantation: accurately determining when a donor’s organs are no longer suitable for recovery and transplant.
Currently, hospitals rely heavily on surgeons’ assessments to estimate the timeframe for organ viability, a process prone to variability and resulting in needless costs and resource allocation.The newly developed AI model, trained on data from over 2,000 donors across multiple US transplant centers, utilizes neurological, respiratory, and circulatory data to more accurately forecast a donor’s progression to death.
Retrospective and prospective testing revealed the AI’s superior performance, achieving a 60% reduction in “futile procurements” – instances where organs were harvested but ultimately unusable – compared to traditional surgeon predictions. Researchers also noted the model’s continued accuracy even with incomplete donor information.
“A reliable, data-driven tool could help healthcare staff make better decisions, optimising organ use and reducing wasted efforts and costs,” the research team stated.They believe this represents a “significant step forward in transplantation” and highlights “the potential for advanced AI techniques to optimise organ utilisation from DCD donors” – donors after circulatory death.
The team is now focused on adapting the AI tool for use with heart and lung transplants.
