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Drones

Drone-delivered kidney gets transplanted into patient

By Ben Coxworth
May 01, 2019
Drone-delivered kidney gets transplanted into patient
The HOMAL-equipped multicopter comes in for a landing at the University of Maryland Medical Center
The HOMAL-equipped multicopter comes in for a landing at the University of Maryland Medical Center
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The HOMAL-equipped multicopter comes in for a landing at the University of Maryland Medical Center
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The HOMAL-equipped multicopter comes in for a landing at the University of Maryland Medical Center
Some of the team members, from left to right: ]Norman Wereley, Ph.D., Minta Martin Professor and Chair, Department of Aerospace Engineering, A. James Clark School of Engineering; Joseph Scalea, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine; Thomas Scalea, MD, The Honorable Francis X. Kelly Distinguished Professor in Trauma Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine; and Matthew Scassero, MPA, Director, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Test Site, A. James Clark School of Engineering
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Some of the team members, from left to right: ]Norman Wereley, Ph.D., Minta Martin Professor and Chair, Department of Aerospace Engineering, A. James Clark School of Engineering; Joseph Scalea, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine; Thomas Scalea, MD, The Honorable Francis X. Kelly Distinguished Professor in Trauma Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine; and Matthew Scassero, MPA, Director, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Test Site, A. James Clark School of Engineering

Using regular aircraft to transport organs for transplant usually works OK, but problems can arise when flights are delayed, or when planes can't land in remote areas. That's where drones could really make a difference – and in an April 19th proof-of-concept exercise, one was used to deliver a kidney for a human recipient.

The multicopter drone in question was custom-built by engineers at the University of Maryland, and was used to autonomously fly a human kidney 2.8 miles (4.5 km) from a southwest Baltimore location to a waiting surgical team at the university's Medical Center. After the organ was removed from the aircraft, it was successfully transplanted into a 44 year-old female patient.

While in flight, the kidney was kept in a sealed cargo compartment known as the HOMAL (Human Organ Monitoring and Quality Assurance Apparatus for Long-Distance Travel). That box – pictured below – measured and maintained its own internal temperature, plus it tracked factors such as the barometric pressure, altitude, amount of vibration, and GPS coordinates. All of that data was continuously transmitted to the surgical team's smartphones, so they could ensure that the organ was on its way, and that it remained viable.

Some of the team members, from left to right: ]Norman Wereley, Ph.D., Minta Martin Professor and Chair, Department of Aerospace Engineering, A. James Clark School of Engineering; Joseph Scalea, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine; Thomas Scalea, MD, The Honorable Francis X. Kelly Distinguished Professor in Trauma Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine; and Matthew Scassero, MPA, Director, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Test Site, A. James Clark School of Engineering
Some of the team members, from left to right: ]Norman Wereley, Ph.D., Minta Martin Professor and Chair, Department of Aerospace Engineering, A. James Clark School of Engineering; Joseph Scalea, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine; Thomas Scalea, MD, The Honorable Francis X. Kelly Distinguished Professor in Trauma Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine; and Matthew Scassero, MPA, Director, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Test Site, A. James Clark School of Engineering

The aircraft itself has eight motors and propellers, distributed in pairs on four arms – this setup allows it to keep flying even if one or more motors should fail. Other failsafe measures include dual battery packs, a backup power distribution board, and a parachute that deploys if the drone simply cannot remain airborne.

Additionally, an onboard camera streams real-time video to two ground-based operators, who can take manual remote-control if needed via a wireless mesh network. The whole system adheres to US drone-flight regulations.

"As a result of the outstanding collaboration among surgeons, engineers, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), organ procurement specialists, pilots, nurses, and, ultimately, the patient, we were able to make a pioneering breakthrough in transplantation," says project leader Joseph Scalea, MD, assistant professor of surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. "Delivering an organ from a donor to a patient is a sacred duty with many moving parts. It is critical that we find ways of doing this better."

You can see some of the highlights of the flight, in the video below.

Source: University of Maryland

University of Maryland Unmanned Aircraft Used to Complete Kidney Transplant

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DronesUniversity of MarylandTransplantDelivery dronesNew Atlas Audio
2 comments
Ben Coxworth
Ben Coxworth
Based out of Edmonton, Canada, Ben Coxworth has been writing for New Atlas since 2009 and is presently Managing Editor for North America. An experienced freelance writer, he previously obtained an English BA from the University of Saskatchewan, then spent over 20 years working in various markets as a television reporter, producer and news videographer. Ben is particularly interested in scientific innovation, human-powered transportation, and the marine environment.

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2 comments
paul314
So how long did it take to fly that distance compared to how long it would have taken in a regular vehicle with lights flashing?
Buzzclick
Doubtful that transplants are performed in remote places where access is limited. If I was a loved one or even the recipient of the organ, and knowing that this was an experiment, I might have mixed feelings if the delivery failed somehow. Certainly, I would hope that this exercise was done with a dummy organ a few times beforehand.
From pizza, on-line purchases to organ delivery, those noisy little machines are here to stay, but years from now this system of levitation will seem archaic.