New AI tool could cut wasted efforts in organ transplants

Published: 14 November 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online.

Doctors and researchers at Stanford University have developed a groundbreaking AI tool that could reduce wasted efforts in organ transplantation by up to 60%, offering new hope to thousands of patients on waiting lists worldwide.

Organ transplantation remains a race against time. While medical advances have increased access to organs, particularly in cases where donors die after cardiac arrest, a significant proportion of planned transplants still fail. In many such donations after circulatory death (DCD), the transplant is cancelled because the donor does not die within the critical window needed to preserve organ quality. For liver transplants, for instance, this window is typically 45 minutes after life support is withdrawn. If a donor survives beyond that period, the organ is often rejected to avoid complications for the recipient.

The new AI model predicts with remarkable accuracy whether a donor is likely to pass within the timeframe required for transplantation. By analysing neurological, respiratory, and circulatory data from more than 2,000 donors across multiple US transplant centres, the system outperformed even the most experienced surgeons. In trials, the AI reduced futile procurements – cases where transplant preparations began but the donor died too late – by 60%.

“By identifying when an organ is likely to be viable before any surgical preparations begin, this model could make the transplant process far more efficient,” said Dr Kazunari Sasaki, clinical professor of abdominal transplantation and senior author of the study. “It also has the potential to allow more candidates who need an organ transplant to receive one.”

The findings, published in the Lancet Digital Health journal, could have far-reaching implications for transplant centres. Hospitals currently rely on surgeons’ judgment to estimate the critical timeframe, which can vary significantly and lead to unnecessary costs, wasted resources, and emotional strain for medical teams.

Unlike previous models, the AI tool maintains its predictive accuracy even when some donor information is missing, offering a more robust and reliable decision-making aid for clinical teams. By optimising organ use, the system could reduce financial and operational pressures on healthcare facilities while improving patient outcomes.

The research team believes the approach represents a major step forward in transplantation. By making organ allocation more efficient and predictable, it could increase the number of patients who receive life-saving procedures. The team is now planning to adapt the AI model for heart and lung transplants, which could extend its benefits across other critical areas of organ donation.

As the global demand for organs continues to outpace supply, innovations like this AI tool signal a new era in transplantation – one where advanced technology works alongside medical expertise to save more lives and make better use of scarce resources.