Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion Review of a Revolutionary Technology

Donor lung shortage has been the main reason to the increasing number of patients waiting for lung transplant. Ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) is widely expanding technology to assess and prepare the lungs who are considered marginal for transplantation. The outcomes are encouraging and comparable to the lungs transplanted according to the standard criteria. In this article, we will discuss the history of development, the techniques and protocols of ex vivo, and the logics and rationales for ex vivo use.