Ex-vivo lung perfusion

Purpose of review Ex-vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) has been developed to expand the donor pool for lung transplantation recipients. The role of EVLP in organ preservation, evaluation and potential reconditioning is reviewed. Recent findings EVLP has been shown to significantly increase the utilization of donor lungs for transplantation. Evidence suggests that patient outcomes from EVLP lungs are comparable to standard procurement technique. Novel strategies are being developed to treat and recondition injured donor lungs. EVLP may also prove to be a tool for translational research of lung diseases. Summary EVLP has been shown to be an effective system to expand donor pool for lung transplantation without detriment to recipients. Future potential ex-vivo developments may further improve patient outcomes as well as increasing availability of donor organs.