When it comes to organ transplants, time is of the essence. As soon as a heart or lung is provided, both the medical team and the patient need to act quickly to get it New organs in the body as soon as possible. Otherwise, they run the risk of organ failure and becoming so damaged that they cannot be transplanted.
One of the obstacles to this process is moving organs from one hospital to another. While getting from point A to point B may seem like a simple matter, it can be extremely difficult in congested urban areas with high traffic density. With the clock ticking, it’s precious time that can’t be wasted.
That’s why researchers in Canada have used drones to deliver donated organs to patients who need them. In a study published December 21 in the journal Journal robotics science, The team modified a drone commonly used in aerial photography to carry transplanted organs from one hospital to another. The study’s authors successfully used the device to transport a donated lung throughout the city of Toronto.
Check out the video of the special delivery below with the help of technology discovery:
As well as being customized to carry an organ payload, the drone is also equipped with a parachute and recovery system to ensure lung safety. After performing about 400 test flights to ensure that everything was working properly, the team transported the donated organ from Toronto Western Hospital to Toronto General Hospital more than a mile away, where the lung successfully transported and transplanted to the patient.
While impressive, this isn’t the first time drones have been used to transport organs for transplant. In 2019, the organize the first drone deliveryn took place at the University of Maryland Medical Center when a kidney was delivered to a waiting patient.
The latest test flight adds further evidence that drones could feasibly be used to cut the time it takes to transport organs. Avoiding traffic congestion and potential auto problems helps ensure that much-needed work gets to where it needs to be quickly and on time.
Let’s pay attention so they don’t get lost like so many of our UberEats and DoorDash deliveries.
