Private academic hospital the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre (WDGMC) has, in partnership with nonprofit organisation Surgeons for Little Lives and used-car retailer Weelee, introduced an innovative liver perfusion machine, becoming the first transplant centre in Africa to implement this technology for liver transplantation.

This technology is vital to keeping donor livers viable outside the body while clinicians assess, monitor and actively improve the condition of the organ before transplantation.

By allowing transplant teams to better maintain organ viability, the machine has the potential to increase organ use, reduce complications and improve transplant outcomes for patients who may otherwise not survive the wait.

“As a transplant programme, our responsibility extends far beyond the operating theatre. This technology will help us better assess donor organs and increase the number of livers that can safely be transplanted, while simultaneously improving results.

“In a country where every donor organ matters, this will have a significant impact on organ utility and patient outcomes,” says WDGMC solid organ transplantation head Professor Jerome Loveland.

The introduction of this machine is also expected to contribute to fewer post-operative complications, shorter hospital stays and improved recovery outcomes.

“Too many patients in South Africa deteriorate while waiting for a transplant because there are simply not enough donor organs available. Anything that helps us safely expand organ use has the potential to directly impact survival and quality of life for patients and families facing end-stage liver disease,” says WDGMC transplant hepatologist Dr Bilal Bobat.

South Africa’s transplant programmes continue to achieve strong outcomes despite operating within a severely resource-constrained environment and against the backdrop of ongoing organ shortages, and this leads to transplant teams often making difficult decisions under significant pressure.

“This technology changes the level of information we have available before transplantation. Traditionally, organs are preserved on ice and assessment is limited. Machine perfursion allows us to monitor how the liver is functioning outside the body.

“Beyond the valuable information it provides, the machine has the ability to resuscitate the liver by delivering oxygen to the liver cells, creating the best metabolic environment outside the body. This helps us make more informed clinical decisions and potentially increases the number of organs that can be safely transplanted,” says WDGMC transplant surgeon Dr Sharan Rambarran.

Clinicians also stress that while this technology represents a key advancement in liver transplantation, increasing organ donor awareness still remains critical to improving access to life-saving transplant across the country.

Positioning itself as a supporter of impactful innovation, Weelee says the partnership reflects its broader commitment to initiatives that deliver meaningful social value.

“Weelee is always looking for opportunities to contribute to causes that create real and lasting impact. Supporting advancements in liver perfusion technology aligns perfectly with our commitment to innovation that improves lives.

“This groundbreaking initiative has the potential to save countless lives and we are proud to be associated with a project of such significance,” says Weelee CEO Errol Levin.

Meanwhile, WDGMC has been recognised as retaining a leading specialist transplant care programme, having performed over 1 000 liver transplants and placing a strong emphasis on transplant care, research and surgical training.

WDGMC notes that South Africa continues to face severe organ shortages, and each decision to accept or decline a liver donor carries “immense” weight and every viable organ that goes unused represents a lost opportunity to save a life.