Duke, Vanderbilt trying new ways of preserving more hearts for transplants

Duke, Vanderbilt trying new ways of preserving more hearts for transplants

They aim to overcome barriers to retrieving hearts donated after circulatory death, when the heart stops beating after withdrawal of life support.

New techniques preserve donor hearts after death—and could reshape transplant medicine

Two new heart transplant methods offer safer ways to preserve organs after circulatory death, expanding the donor pool and dodging controversial practices.