24/04/2024
Ottawa, Ontario — Wednesday April 24, 2024
Every second counts when it comes to successful organ transplantation. That is why CHEO researchers are exploring ways to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to better predict time to death and improve post transplantation organ function and the end-of-life experience for donor families.
Drs. Sonny Dhanani, Medical Lead of Pediatric Critical Care at CHEO and Investigator at the CHEO Research Institute, and Andrew Seely, Scientist, Critical Care Physician and Thoracic Surgeon at The Ottawa Hospital, and Professor of Surgery at the University of Ottawa, are collaborating to develop the Donation Advisor tool, an AI algorithm that could assist clinicians in predicting time to death and standardizing Donation after Circulatory Death (DCD) eligibility assessment, to improve the outcome of organ transplantations. Every year thousands of Canadians receive life and cost-saving organ transplants, while thousands more wait, and hundreds die every year waiting. Most organs are donated by patients determined to be brain dead; however, another option to donate, called DCD, introduced more than a decade ago, has increased the number of available organs, but still needs improvement to significantly increase organ availability.
“The Donation Advisor can act as a second set of eyes, providing clinicians with precision monitoring and predictions that can help ensure they are making the best decisions for their patients. This new technology pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in organ donation and is a testament to the incredible opportunity presented by AI and the impact it can have on healthcare innovation,” said Dr. Dhanani, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Ottawa.
Their research, including the landmark DePPaRT study, has led to the development of national guidelines regarding the practice of DCD and aims to transform organ donation practices, emphasizing compassion and innovation. Through observational studies they’ve demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of Donation Advisor, positioning the CHEO Research Institute as a leader in AI-driven organ donation research.
This work is funded in part by Physicians’ Service Incorporated (PSI) and Health Canada.
Dr. Andrew Seely is the CEO of Therapeutic Monitoring Systems, which is working towards commercializing this research.