Ex-situ machine perfusion in clinical liver transplantation: Current practices and future directions

Abstract

Ex-situ machine perfusion of the liver has surmounted traditional limitations associated with static cold storage in the context of organ preservation. This innovative technology has changed the landscape of liver transplantation by mitigating ischemia perfusion injury, offering a platform for continuous assessment of organ quality, and providing an avenue for optimizing use of traditionally marginal allografts. This review summarizes the contemporary clinical applications of machine perfusion devices, and discusses potential future strategies for real-time viability assessment, therapeutic interventions, and modulation of organ function after recovery.