A machine that keeps donated lungs alive outside the body is set for use on the NHS, offering hope to the 170 people waiting for a new lung in the UK.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) has recommended the technology, which warms lungs to body temperature and mimics blood plasma flow, to be used for four years to gather evidence on its benefits and costs.Currently, only 23% of suitable lungs are transplanted, with the machine potentially allowing four in five unused lungs to be used.

Dr Anastasia Chalkidou, healthtech programme director at Nice, emphasized that every donated lung is a precious gift and that this technology could change the current situation where many organs go unused.

Patients awaiting transplants often face significant challenges, including the risk of infection and long waiting periods, with some waiting over a year for a suitable lung.NHSBT data shows that 21% of urgent and 14% of non-urgent registrants died within a year of joining the transplant list.The NHS aims to standardize access to this technology nationwide to ensure equitable treatment for patients.