The created system successfully allowed for oxygenating the blood and maintaining normal heart function.
After the removal of the lungs, which could not be restored, the surgeons used artificial lungs to sustain the patient's life until a donor organ was obtained.
The team of doctors developed a system consisting of shunts, tubes, and pumps that mimic the functions of the lungs, oxygenating the blood and maintaining blood flow. These achievements were published in the journal Med, notes Ankit Bharat, head of the thoracic surgery department at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago.
In 2023, a 33-year-old resident of St. Louis contracted influenza B, leading to the destruction of his lungs. After hospitalization, he faced an additional infection caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which spread to his bloodstream and caused serious complications. As a result of the dual infection and excessive immune response, the patient's lungs failed.
"His health continued to deteriorate," recalls Bharat. "He was on the brink of life and death."
Molecular analyses confirmed that the patient's lungs had no chance of recovery. Bharat and his team, specializing in lung transplants, could not perform surgery while the patient was under the influence of the infection. Given the severe lung damage, continuing life was impossible without intervention.
Therefore, the team decided to remove the affected lungs and connect the patient to an artificial lung specifically designed for such cases. This system diverts blood from the right side of the heart, oxygenates it, removes carbon dioxide, and returns it to the left side of the heart for further pumping throughout the body. This not only supports heart function but also provides it with oxygen.
The system of artificial lungs developed by researchers at Northwestern University mimics the functions of real lungs in circulation. In 2023, surgeons performed the first operation using an artificial lung on a human. The video demonstrates the patient's heart functioning with the support of this system. Click the play button to see the process.
Bharat's team created a unique configuration of circulation that not only oxygenates the blood like standard ECMO but also mimics the hemodynamics of the lungs, helping to avoid right ventricular overload—a common cause of death in such cases.
After the removal of both lungs, a significant void formed in the chest cavity. The heart, without the support of the lungs, begins to shift, which can lead to the bending of major vessels and instant cessation of circulation. To prevent this, doctors used temporary chest implants to support the heart.
The medical team anticipated that it would take several weeks to eliminate the infection and were prepared to sustain the patient's life on the artificial lung for an extended period. However, once the source of the infection was removed, namely the lungs, the infection began to resolve quickly.
After the infection was successfully eliminated, the doctors placed the patient on the transplant list. A donor organ was found immediately. More than two years later, Bharat notes: "The patient feels great. His heart is functioning normally. The lungs are working flawlessly."
