The Newcastle Journal has featured a piece on the Organ Care System (OCS) – a piece of technology that is saving lives right here at Harefield Hospital.

A ‘box’ used to keep human hearts beating outside of the body sounds too good to be true. But thankfully it’s become a reality that is saving many lives and is currently used a Harefield.

The Organ Care System (OCS) keeps donor hearts beating for up to eight hours after they’ve been removed. The extra time allows hearts to be transported from further away and given even more vitality which also gives surgeons more time to prep patients who have complex heart conditions for their surgery. 

In a recent piece, the Newcastle Journal spoke to cardiothoracic and transplant surgeon, Fabrizio de Rita from Freeman Hospital in Newcastle who have also been using the new heart transplant system said: 

“The OCS (Organ Care System) takes this pressure away and has opened that all-important window to at least eight hours. There is much evidence now that using this system improves outcomes for our sickest recipients on the waiting list.”

Our Harefield Transplant Appeal aims to raise £500,000 to support the great work of our doctors and nurses, by funding Organ Care Systems. Help us saving more lives at Harefield Hospital, by donating or fundraising for this appeal here - https://www.rbhcharity.org/Appeal/transplant-appeal