A 64-year-old man from Quebec has made history in North America by being the first recipient of a regenerated liver, thanks to a pioneering technology that has the potential to increase the availability of transplantable livers significantly. Gérard Landry, a resident of Nouvelle in Quebec, had been battling liver issues for around 15 years, which eventually led to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Just before his liver transplant surgery at Montreal’s Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM), his doctor surprised him with the news that his liver had been regenerated using a new machine.
The innovative technology, known as Liver Assist, enables medical professionals to treat and evaluate a donated liver outside the body before transplantation. This breakthrough allowed Landry to receive a liver that may have otherwise been deemed too risky for transplantation. Dr. David Hénault, a liver transplant specialist at CHUM, spearheaded the project and conducted Landry’s surgery. The Liver Assist system functions by connecting a donated liver to a machine that circulates an oxygen-rich fluid through the organ, aiding in reversing damage caused by oxygen deprivation while the liver is outside the body.
Hénault mentioned that the technology improves the assessment of liver functionality in conditions simulating the human body, ensuring a successful transplant. The CHUM, which performs approximately 70 liver transplants annually, collaborated with Transplant Québec to assess previously declined livers for transplant viability using the new technology. It is estimated that the Liver Assist machine could potentially make an additional 20 to 24 livers available for transplantation within its first year of implementation, with the possibility of further expansion as the technology advances.
Studies have indicated that Liver Assist can reduce complications, reoperations, and hospital stays for suitable patients. Landry experienced positive outcomes post-surgery, with his blood work showing better-than-expected results the day after the operation. Hénault attributed the success to the machine’s assistance.
Landry, who is currently recuperating in Montreal and undergoing regular blood tests, anticipates returning to Gaspésie post-recovery. Despite focusing on his own recovery, he is eager to reunite with his family, grandson, friends, and horses. He also hopes his journey will inspire conversations about organ donation, emphasizing the critical role of donated organs in saving lives. As Landry aptly puts it, advanced technology alone is insufficient without an available supply of donated organs.