After being diagnosed with high-risk acute myeloid leukemia at age 19, Sky Toyne came to Mayo Clinic for a potentially curative stem cell transplant. Thanks to advances in transplant medicine, a lifesaving donation from her brother, and comprehensive care that addressed both her physical and emotional recovery, Sky overcame leukemia and returned to the life she loves.  

In August 2021, Sky Toyne had just begun her sophomore year of college at a university in Iowa, where she was born and raised. With a love of learning and being active in organizations, she was excitedly thinking about her next semester. Should she run for an executive position in her sorority or study abroad in Australia?  

Soon after the fall semester began, Sky started getting bad headaches. As the weeks went on, she experienced more symptoms — frequent colds, extreme neck aches and fatigue.   

On Oct. 7, Sky woke with intense head and neck pain and a whooshing sound in her ears. Her mom drove her to the student health facility, where initial tests were inconclusive. Bloodwork, however, revealed dangerously low blood counts, and Sky went to the hospital immediately. 

After receiving blood transfusions in the emergency department, Sky was admitted to the oncology floor. A bone marrow biopsy the next morning confirmed leukemia.  

Further testing showed that Sky had acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and she had several mutations that put her at high risk of recurrence. To give her the best chance at a cure, she would need a bone marrow, or stem cell transplant.  

"I decided to go to Mayo Clinic since it's the best hospital in the world and a leader in transplant," says Sky.  

She completed induction chemotherapy at the hospital in Iowa and traveled with her parents to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, to meet Dr. William Hogan, a transplant hematologist. 

"His expertise was astounding, and we immediately knew I was in good hands," says Sky.  

Hope through innovation 

"Sky's leukemia carried genetic abnormalities that we know place patients at much higher risk of relapse if treated with chemotherapy alone," says Dr. Hogan. "Fortunately, she had responded very well to her initial treatment and achieved a deep remission, which gave us an important opportunity to move toward a potentially curative stem cell transplant." 

Stem cell donor matching depends on inherited immune system genes called human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes. People with mixed ancestry, like Sky, often inherit combinations of HLA genes that are less commonly represented in donor registries, which means there may be fewer unrelated volunteers who share that exact genetic combination. 

Because a perfectly matched unrelated donor wasn't readily available, Sky required a haploidentical, or half-matched, bone marrow transplant. Unlike a traditional transplant, a haploidentical transplant uses a donor who shares approximately half of the patient's immune system genes — usually a parent, child or sibling.  

"This has probably been one of the biggest advances in transplantation over the past two decades, allowing nearly every patient to have a potential donor," says Dr. Hogan. 

Sky's brother, Speed, agreed to be her donor.  

"I will admit that I was nervous about the donation procedure, but the decision to be the donor was an easy one," says Speed. "It was simply what needed to be done to give my sister a chance." 

The therapies Sky would receive could permanently affect reproductive function. Her care team worked closely with reproductive endocrinology colleagues so she could undergo egg retrieval before transplant.  

"Our goal is never simply to cure leukemia — it's to help patients return to meaningful, fulfilling lives," says Dr. Hogan. "We needed to consider her long-term quality of life, including her fertility, education, career goals, emotional well-being and the many decades of life that hopefully lie ahead after treatment. Those conversations were just as important as the medical treatment itself." 

On Feb. 25, 2022, Sky received the transplant and celebrated her "rebirthday." As the months progressed, Sky was recovering physically, but she began struggling mentally.  

"Transplant recovery is not just a physical process. That's why psychological support is an essential part of transplant care, not an afterthought," says Dr. Hogan. 

Honoring her past and embracing the future 

"The nurses and physician assistants were amazing. They would give me pep talks," says Sky. "A nurse who also had leukemia when she was younger suggested the idea to hold a ceremony for my past self."  

Sky, who had lost her hair, bought a wig, and the nurse made her a flower crown. With her care team and loved ones in attendance, people wrote and read eulogies, and then she did the same, saying goodbye to her past self. 

"It was so meaningful that my care team did that for me, and it really helped me get over my mental block," says Sky. "What I appreciated most about Mayo Clinic was its holistic approach. They cared for my mental health just as much as my physical health, which helped me have the best possible outcome. I felt seen by every staff member, many of whom became like family." 

On her 100^th day post-transplant, Sky rang a bell to celebrate her semipermanent remission. She's hoping to ring the bell again on her five-year transplant anniversary on Feb. 25, 2027, to signify permanent remission.  

"Transplantation is never something a patient accomplishes alone. It requires extraordinary courage from the patient, incredible support from family and the coordinated efforts of a large multidisciplinary team," says Dr. Hogan. 

Life beyond leukemia 

Sky returned to school full time, served in an executive position in her sorority and was a leader in many other campus organizations. Since she continued her classes part time during treatment, she was able to graduate from college on time in May 2024. 

Now 24, Sky earned a master's degree, ran her first half-marathon in March and enjoys traveling around the country.  

"Because of advances in molecular diagnostics, targeted therapies, donor selection, transplant techniques and supportive care, she has returned to an active, healthy life," says Dr. Hogan. "Seeing someone like Sky thriving years later is deeply rewarding for everyone involved and reminds us why these advances matter." 

The post Life beyond leukemia: How innovation and compassion helped Sky reclaim her future  appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I'm getting a new driver's license and am thinking about checking the "organ donor" box for the first time. I don’t know anyone who’s been an organ donor, and my family and friends haven’t talked about this. Can anyone donate? 

ANSWER: People of many ages, backgrounds and health histories may be eligible to become organ donors. More than 100,000 people in the U.S. are waiting for an organ transplant, but the number of available donor organs falls far short of the need. Broadening the pool of registered organ donors gives more patients the opportunity to receive a lifesaving transplant before their disease progresses. 

The goal of transplantation is to save lives, improve quality of life and help patients with end-stage organ failure. While transplantation has become a well-established medical therapy over the past several decades, many people still see it as something that's out of reach for them or only available to a select group of patients. Increasing awareness about transplantation and organ donation can encourage more people to consider becoming donors. 

Many people mistakenly believe organs are matched based on race, population group or sex. But that's not the case. Transplant teams first evaluate medical factors such as the height and weight of the donor and recipient, as well as blood type and other clinical criteria. If organs are medically compatible, they can be successfully transplanted between people of different races, cultural backgrounds and sexes. 

The importance of a broad donor pool

A broad donor pool remains important because of people's immune systems. Every person has a special combination of antibodies, and transplant teams compare antibody profiles between donors and recipients to reduce the risk of organ rejection. Some antibody patterns are more common in certain populations than others. A larger donor pool offers a wider range of antibody profiles, increasing the likelihood of finding compatible matches for patients from different backgrounds. 

For some transplant candidates, antibodies significantly narrow the number of organs they can safely receive. If a patient has antibodies that would reject half of all potential donor organs, only the remaining half may be suitable for transplantation. That smaller pool of compatible organs often means a longer wait for a transplant. Expanding the donor pool increases the chances of finding a compatible organ sooner, which can be lifesaving for patients with advanced organ failure. 

Increasing the number of registered donors can help more patients find compatible organs sooner. Some communities may experience challenges that make it more difficult to receive transplant evaluations or advanced medical therapies.  

In addition, certain inherited conditions, such as cardiac amyloidosis, which can lead to organ failure, occur more frequently in some populations. Increasing organ donation awareness and participation across all communities helps ensure that more patients have the opportunity to benefit from transplantation. 

Common misconceptions

Education also plays an important role in addressing misconceptions about organ donation. One common myth is that only young or perfectly healthy people can become donors. However, the medical team evaluates every potential donor individually at the time of donation. While some organs have age-related considerations, many organs and tissues from older adults can still save or improve the lives of others. For that reason, people shouldn't assume they're too old or unhealthy to register as donors. 

Another misconception is that organ donation only benefits someone with a similar background. That's not the case. Donated organs are allocated to the most appropriate medical match based on established clinical criteria. A donor's race, cultural background or sex doesn't determine who receives an organ. The focus is always on providing the best match for a successful transplant. 

Increasing public awareness about transplantation and organ donation remains an important priority. Compared with other major health conditions, organ transplantation receives relatively little public attention. More education can help people understand the donation process, overcome common misconceptions and encourage conversations with family members about their wishes. 

As you know, registering as an organ donor is often as simple as checking "yes" when applying for or renewing a driver's license or signing up through an official organ donor registry. Be sure to discuss your decision with family members so they understand your wishes. 

Organ donation is a selfless act that has the power to transform lives. Every additional donor increases the chances of finding compatible matches, helping more patients receive the gift of a healthier future. 

Juan Carlos Leoni-Moreno M.D, FACC, FHFSA,Transplant Cardiology, Transplant Center, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida

The post Mayo Clinic Q&A: Why a broad pool of donors is important for transplant patients appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Organ transplantation has transformed countless lives, offering hope to people with end-stage organ failure. But for many patients, the journey doesn't end with surgery. Lifelong anti-rejection medications protect transplanted organs, but they also can increase the risk of infection, cancer and other serious health complications.

On the latest episode of "Tomorrow's Cure," host Lindsay Sievert explores a question researchers have pursued for decades: What if the immune system could be taught to accept a transplanted organ instead of suppressing it for life?

Joining the conversation are Timucin Taner, M.D., Ph.D., a transplant surgeon at Mayo Clinic, and Angus Thomson, Ph.D., DSc., a transplant immunologist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Together, they discuss how advances in immune tolerance and cell therapy are bringing researchers closer to that goal.

Rather than broadly suppressing the immune system, scientists are studying ways to selectively prevent it from attacking a donated organ while preserving its ability to fight infection and disease.

"We're talking about trying to retrain the immune system," says Dr. Taner. "Not just reduce the immune responses to anything, but reduce the immune responses to the organ itself."

Researchers believe the liver may hold important clues because of its unique ability to promote immune tolerance. Clinical trials at Mayo Clinic and other institutions are testing cell-based therapies designed to help the immune system recognize transplanted organs without triggering rejection. Although more research is needed, early findings offer reason for optimism and could one day benefit patients receiving liver, kidney, heart and lung transplants, as well as people living with autoimmune diseases.

Listen to the latest episode of "Tomorrow's Cure" to learn how Mayo Clinic leads innovation in transplant. You can also explore the show's full library of episodes and guests on the show's playlist.

The post How scientists hope to retrain the immune system after an organ transplant appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

For patients waiting for a kidney transplant, finding a compatible donor can take time. A paired kidney donation program can make transplantation possible, even when a donor isn't a direct match. That's what reunited two former high school classmates, now teachers, and gave one of them a new kidney and a new lease on life.

Watch: Teachers connect beyond the classroom through paired kidney donation

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (2:33) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

"I kind of always knew I needed a new kidney," says Shannon Williams, a 50-year-old elementary school teacher in Leesburg, Florida.

Shannon Williams spent 15 years living with polycystic kidney disease. When dialysis became a reality, she knew she couldn't wait any longer for a transplant.

"I've got to find my own match, so I started looking," says Shannon.

Then, a social media post reached an old friend.

"I didn't know that she had been sick initially," says Kelly Harrington.

"I went to school with Kelly back in high school. We twirled together, and I was a senior; she was a freshman," says Shannon.

"Shannon and I both teach in the same school district," says Kelly.

"Kelly called me, and she said, 'I want to see if I'm a match for you.' She was a match, except for the antibodies," says Shannon.

Although Kelly couldn't donate directly to Shannon, a kidney paired exchange program offered another path.

"Someone may not be appropriate to donate to a particular recipient, but they are a fantastic donor to someone. And so the kidney goes into a national matching pool," says Dr. Shennen Mao, a Mayo Clinic transplant surgeon. "Once a match is found, the kidney is donated to an intended recipient, and our recipient gets a kidney in return."

"When I realized that I could still help Shannon, potentially save her life, give her a longer life, give her a healthier life, it was a bonus," says Kelly.

Then, in January 2026, there was a life-changing phone call.

"(Transplant coordinators) called and said they had a match," says Kelly. "I don't recall ever crying so hard in my life. It was overwhelming, absolutely overwhelming."

Shannon and Kelly drove two hours from their homes in Central Florida to Jacksonville, where the surgeries took place at Mayo Clinic. One of Kelly's kidneys was sent to someone else in need.

"Shannon received a living donor kidney back through the kidney paired exchange program," says Dr. Mao. "It worked right away on the operating room table."

Not long after surgery, Shannon and Kelly were reunited.

"They wanted me to walk right away," says Shannon. "Kelly and I were two doors down from each other, so we got to walk the halls together — just us and our walkers strolling down the hallway."

"That first walk, we felt like superstars," says Kelly. "All of the staff members were just helping us and supporting us."

"The ability and the impact that we can make on our patients is what drives me, both as a transplant surgeon and also as a scientist, to think about the solutions for the future, so that we can help more patients like Shannon," says Dr. Mao.

Before the end of the school year, Shannon and Kelly returned to their classrooms.

"To know that she literally saved my life, I will always be grateful to her," says Shannon. "I always tell her she's my angel."

The post Teachers connect beyond the classroom through paired kidney donation (VIDEO) appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

On May 30, 2025, the Fountain Hills resident became the first patient to receive a lung transplant through Mayo Clinic's new Lung Transplant Program. Craig had been living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a progressive lung condition that affects more than 16 million Americans. Although treatments can help manage symptoms, the disease has no cure and gradually makes breathing more difficult over time. 

For Craig, the journey to transplant was years in the making. Barely able to walk 15 feet while using an oxygen tank, Craig's life had become very limiting. 

A former flooring installer, he spent decades working in environments with airborne dust and particles. He also had a family history of COPD. As his disease progressed, everyday activities became increasingly difficult. Breathing became a challenge, and simple tasks required more energy than they once had. Eventually, doctors determined a lung transplant offered the best path forward. 

Now, Craig is celebrating more than a milestone. He's celebrating what he calls his "lung anniversary," one year since the transplant that allowed him to breathe easier, regain his independence and return to the activities he loves. "I’m back to doing nearly everything I did before COPD," he says. "I was eager to get back to my life, but getting in shape takes time. I’m happy to say I’ve just started training for the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot." He's also now back at work as a handyman and once again doing many of the activities COPD had taken away from him. The moments he now enjoys, whether working, spending time with family or simply staying active, are reminders of how much has changed in a single year.  

Watch: The first patient to receive a lung transplant through Mayo Clinic in Arizona's new lung transplant program provides an update on how he's doing

Journalists: Broadcast-quality sound bites of Craig Schere and Dr. D'Cuhna are available in the downloads at the bottom of the posts. Name super/CG: Jonathan D'Cuhuna, MD/Surgical Director of the Mayo Clinic Lung Transplant Program in Arizona/Mayo Clinic.

Throughout his recovery, Craig says he has remained mindful of the donor whose gift made his transplant possible. "The life I have now is possible because of my donor's generosity. I celebrate both my birthday and the day of my transplant because what I can do now is remarkable, and it's only possible because of that gift," says Craig. 

The historic procedure marked not only a turning point in his personal health journey but also a significant milestone for transplant care in Arizona. Some neighboring states do not offer lung transplant programs, meaning patients often must travel far from home, family and support networks to receive care. The Arizona program helps address that gap by allowing more patients to remain closer to home throughout evaluation, transplant surgery and recovery.  

While Craig was the first patient in the new program, he is no longer the only one. In its first year, Mayo Clinic's Arizona lung transplant program brought together a multidisciplinary team of medical and surgical experts to broaden access to care for patients in the region with advanced lung disease.

Dr. Johnathan D'Cunha is the chair of Cardiothoracic Surgery and the surgical director of the Mayo Clinic Lung Transplant Program in Arizona. He performed Craig's transplant. “Craig is now living out loud because he has so much hope ahead. Mayo Clinic Transplant Center is one of the largest and most comprehensive transplant programs in the world, which allows us to care for the most complex and serious patients. The program's success reflects the close collaboration of our Arizona team and strong coordination across Mayo Clinic Transplant Center," Dr. D'Cuhna says.  

For Craig, however, the anniversary is about gratitude. 

"I'm grateful to have this time with my family, my 14 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, and look forward to what's next for me," says Craig. As he celebrates his first lung anniversary, Craig's story is a reminder of what transplantation makes possible: not just more years of life, but the opportunity to fully live them. 

Learn more about lung transplantation.  

Related

• (VIDEO) Breathing easy thanks to the gift of life and new Mayo Clinic Lung Transplant Program in Arizona

The post One year later: First patient thrives after lung transplant through Mayo Clinic in Arizona’s new lung transplant program (VIDEO) appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

After an exceptionally rare diagnosis, a lifesaving bone marrow transplant and a near-fatal infection that pushed his body to the brink, Mike Sonnabend is not only alive — he's back to doing what once seemed impossible. 

Mike Sonnabend, a husband and father to three sons, enjoys being active — not just physically but also in the Rochester, Minnesota, community. The special education teacher and head coach of cross-country and track was preparing for an adventurous Scouting trip to the Florida Keys with his oldest son, Sam, and needed to complete a physical as part of the trip requirements.  

During the exam, his Mayo Clinic family medicine physician, Dr. Lori Bates, noticed that his spleen felt enlarged. Mike didn't think anything of it — he was feeling fine and had no symptoms. But after undergoing several tests and a bone marrow biopsy before leaving for his trip, he had a feeling he would come back to bad news.  

He was right. On July 3, 2014, Mike was diagnosed with a serious and complex disease consisting of leukemia — a cancer of the body's blood-forming tissues, including the bone marrow and the lymphatic system — and a bone marrow failure disorder, where blood cells don't develop normally. It's an incredibly rare condition — with very few cases worldwide — and is incurable with standard treatments.  

Mike's hematologist, Dr. Mrinal Patnaik, explained that a bone marrow transplant, a procedure that infuses healthy blood-forming stem cells into the body to replace bone marrow that's not producing enough healthy blood cells, would be the most effective treatment.  

"I knew that I couldn't fight this on my own. My Mayo Clinic care team is the experts, so I let them take care of the fighting, and I focused on what I could control — my family, my mindset and my recovery." 

As news of Mike's diagnosis spread, his family, friends, colleagues and community members quickly rallied around him and offered support.  

A rare diagnosis becomes even more complex 

Mike was referred to Dr. Mithun Shah, a Mayo Clinic transplant hematologist to ensure he was physically prepared for the transplant.  

All was going well with Mike's pretransplant testing until a pulmonary function test showed his lung function was much lower than expected. Because bone marrow transplants involve extensive treatments with a long, complex recovery, unexplained lung issues could make the procedure too dangerous. 

"We have a rare disease, and now there is a unique lung presentation. Our culture of collaboration at Mayo Clinic is where we shine. I picked up the phone and called my colleagues in hematology, pulmonology, pathology and other specialties — and we worked together, in real time, to assess risks and adapt Mike's treatment plans," says Dr. Shah.  

Dr. Shah referred Mike to Dr. Vivek Iyer, a Mayo Clinic pulmonologist, to help diagnose and treat the lung problem.  

"Transplant patients often have complex medical issues affecting multiple organ systems, so different specialties often need to collaborate expeditiously to solve critical issues that could delay or even prevent a successful transplantation," says Dr. Iyer.  

A lung biopsy confirmed that Mike had eosinophilic pneumonia, a rare and serious inflammatory lung condition. When steroids failed to resolve it, Dr. Iyer prescribed a monoclonal antibody-based therapy typically used for severe asthma that stabilized his lungs and kept his transplant on track — until another barrier emerged: Mike's enlarged spleen began draining his energy and appetite. In December 2019, doctors removed the massive organ, allowing his care team to move forward with his carefully planned transplant approach that would treat his leukemia while protecting his lungs.  

It worked. Mike had a successful transplant in 2020.  

Driven by a mindset focused on progress, Mike was back to coaching, teaching and running within a time frame that was "absolutely incredible," according to Dr. Shah.  

"My approach was to take the next step, trust the process and keep moving forward," says Mike.  

That same resilience would become even more evident five years later, when his journey took another dramatic turn.  

From stability to a sudden, life-threatening turn 

It was April 14, 2025. Around mid-morning, Mike began to feel fatigued, feverish and disoriented. He left work early and went to lie down, setting an alarm so he could make it to track practice that afternoon.  

But Mike wasn't well enough to make it to practice. Sam, who coaches with his dad, remembers having a sinking feeling, especially because he hadn't heard from him.  

"My dad would never not show up without letting me or the other coaches know, let alone even miss a day," says Sam.  

Sam went home after practice to check on his dad. Mike had slept through his alarm, had a high fever and was disoriented. Sam and his mom took him to Mayo Clinic's Emergency Department.  

"I don’t remember much," says Mike. "I remember going to the emergency room, and then it went black." 

Doctors soon determined he was battling bacterial meningitis, an infection that triggered overwhelming sepsis. For transplant patients like Mike, whose immune systems are compromised and who no longer have a spleen, even common bacteria can become life-threatening. 

Within hours, multiple organs began failing. His kidneys shut down, his blood pressure crashed and his body's clotting system began breaking down. He was transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU), where his condition became so dire that his family was called in to prepare for the worst. 

Mike's care again became a full-scale, multidisciplinary effort. Specialists across Mayo Clinic mobilized simultaneously — including experts in critical care, infectious diseases, nephrology, transplant medicine, vascular medicine, rehabilitation and more, meeting in real time to exchange ideas and make quick decisions together. 

"Mayo Clinic’s team-based approach is critical in situations like this. We needed everyone's expertise to give Mike the best chance of survival," says Dr. Shah.  

For Mike and his family, that collaboration was visible every day. 

"There was so much brainpower in that room, you could almost feel it," Mike says. "You could see the wheels turning. Everybody was trying to think of every possible thing to save me." 

Sam, who had since become a nurse after being inspired by his father's earlier cancer journey, helped guide the family through the most difficult moments.  

"Mayo Clinic did a great job of individualizing our care and really being there for us as a family," says Sam. "They gave us all the time we needed to ask questions — I felt like there wasn't a time clock on any of our interactions." 

Mike's journey was precarious, and at several points, his survival remained uncertain. But through relentless determination — and the coordinated expertise of dozens of Mayo Clinic specialists — Mike made another extraordinary recovery.  

Survival fueled by resilience and expertise 

"That was one of the toughest cases of my life," says Dr. Shah of Mike's most recent hospitalization. "Him pulling through and walking out of the ICU was one of my most satisfying moments." 

One year later, Mike feels good. He has his strength back, is exercising and is almost back to 100%.  

"I shouldn’t be here. I threw so many rare situations at my care team, and each time, they saved my life," says Mike. "There's no way you can get expertise like this anywhere else. It's incredible." 

Sam is grateful for the time he spent with his dad throughout his healthcare journey. 

"My dad is resilient, strong and the bravest person I know," says Sam. "I could tell he was scared, but he would always say, 'I have to keep going. I have to keep listening to the doctors. I have to keep taking my medicine, and eventually I am going to get out of it.' And despite all the odds, he did it."  That mindset — paired with his multidisciplinary care team working together — helped transform what could have been an ending into an extraordinary comeback.

The post Against extraordinary odds: A life saved more than once appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

PHOENIX — Researchers at Mayo Clinic, in collaboration with the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation, have developed a real-time monitoring system designed to give transplant teams a more complete picture of a donor liver's health during machine perfusion. Published in Nature Communications, the study represents an important step toward more accurate evaluation of donor livers, laying the groundwork for future advances in organ preservation and transplantation.

During machine perfusion, a donor liver is connected to a device that pumps oxygen-rich fluid through the organ while outside the body.

"Machine perfusion is opening the door to a future where we don't just evaluate organs, we treat them and even improve them before transplant," says Michelle Nguyen, M.D., a transplant surgeon at Mayo Clinic in Arizona and co-corresponding author of the study. "But to get there, we first need better ways to understand how an organ is performing in real time. That's what this technology is built to provide."

Today's monitoring methods rely on manually collecting fluid samples from the organ every 30 to 60 minutes, testing them on point-of-care devices or sending them to a laboratory for analysis. Those periodic snapshots may miss important changes occurring between samples. Detecting biochemical changes or signs that organ health is declining early allows clinicians and perfusionists to intervene before permanent damage occurs.

To address this challenge, researchers developed a new wireless sensor platform that continuously measures glucose, lactate and pH in both the perfusion fluid and bile; streaming results to the care team in real time.

In the study, the sensor's measurements closely matched standard laboratory testing while also detecting brief biochemical changes between routine sampling intervals. The findings suggest that real-time monitoring of bile, in addition to perfusion fluid, may provide valuable information about the health of the donated liver that current approaches may be unable to detect.

"Every organ donated is incredibly valuable," Dr. Nguyen says. "By giving transplant teams a clearer understanding of an organ's health, we're working toward a future where more donated livers can safely reach the patients who need them most."

Researchers note that larger studies will be needed to further evaluate the technology and its potential to improve donor organ assessment. Looking ahead, the team is working to expand the sensor platform to capture additional markers of organ health, creating a more comprehensive assessment panel. Researchers also plan to adapt the technology for other organs, including the kidney, heart and lung.

The study was co-led by Dr. Nguyen and Yangzhi Zhu, Ph.D., of the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation.

For a complete list of authors and disclosures, review the study.

###

About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.

About Mayo Clinic Transplant Center
Mayo Clinic Transplant Center is one of the largest and most comprehensive transplant programs in the world. With programs in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota, Mayo Clinic provides seamless, coordinated care across adult heart, lung, liver, kidney and pancreas transplantation. Guided by a commitment to innovation, research and education, Mayo Clinic Transplant Center delivers world-leading outcomes, compassionate patient care and advances that shape the future of transplantation worldwide.

Media contact:

• Kelley Luckstein, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

The post New technology could improve donor liver evaluation before transplantation appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Tony Wazwaz was told he had days to live — until an innovative treatment approach at Mayo Clinic brought his heartbeat back into rhythm.

Tony Wazwaz is in his kitchen, cooking for his family. Clipped to his belt, two battery packs hum softly, powering the mechanical pumps inside his chest. One helps move blood to his body. The other to his lungs. Together, they do the work his heart no longer can. He takes his medications, sees his healthcare team regularly, and follows the routines that now keep him alive.

"It isn't easy," Tony says, "but I've never been more grateful."

Not long ago, his doctors in Minneapolis told the 44‑year‑old husband and father of two that no further treatment options remained. After months in and out of the hospital, his condition worsened as both sides of his heart began to fail. Fluid filled his lungs. Swelling spread through his body. Medications and temporary support devices no longer worked.

He was not a candidate for a heart transplant. Doctors told him he had about 10 days to live, and to go home to say goodbye to his family.

"That was the end of the road. There was no more road," Tony says. "But something inside me told me, 'You've got to keep fighting.'"

A new road ahead

Watch: Mayo Clinic performs its first dual mechanical heart pump procedure, giving father of two a path to transplant

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (2:54) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

At his mother's urging, he asked for a referral to Mayo Clinic. He made the call, got in the car and they drove to Rochester, Minnesota. He arrived in cardiogenic shock, a life-threatening condition in which the heart can no longer pump enough blood to sustain the body.

Within minutes of reaching the emergency department, his heart stopped.

"I flatlined," he says. "But when I woke up, I was in the ICU at Mayo Clinic, surrounded by a team already working to find a way forward."

Leading that team was Dr. Mauricio Villavicencio, surgical director of Heart and Lung Transplantation and Mechanical Circulatory Support at Mayo Clinic.

Dr. Villavicencio and his team moved quickly to stabilize Tony, ultimately placing him on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO, a form of life support that circulates blood outside the body, allowing the heart and lungs to rest.

"ECMO can keep you alive," Dr. Villavicencio says. "But it doesn't get you out of the ICU. The goal is to find a way to transition to something that allows the patient to recover, leave the hospital and move forward."

For many patients, that path involves a left ventricular assist device, or LVAD, a mechanical pump designed for long-term use that helps the heart move blood through the body. But those devices are designed to support the left side, the heart's main pumping chamber. Durable options to support the right side of the heart are limited. When both sides of the heart are failing, as in Tony's case, there are often no viable treatment options.

'Sign me up'

Dr. Villavicencio proposed something that had never been done at Mayo Clinic: implanting two durable LVADs, one to support each side of Tony's failing heart. He believed the paired devices could get him off ECMO, out of the ICU and potentially onto a path toward heart transplant eligibility.

Around Tony, a multidisciplinary team of surgeons, cardiologists, intensivists and nurses weighed the risks. They had spent weeks at his bedside, adjusting care and closely tracking his condition.

"Tony pushed the balance to do it," Dr. Villavicencio says. "And that really made it happen."

For Tony, the choice was clear.

"Sign me up," he says. "I knew this was my chance. From the time I arrived, it wasn't just one doctor, it was the whole team around me. They took the time to talk to me and get to know me. I trusted them."

A bridge to the future

Inside the operating room, the challenge was precision. Each pump had to be carefully balanced. Too much support on one side could overwhelm the other. Too little could send his organs into failure. Throughout the procedure, Dr. Villavicencio and the team adjusted the devices until his circulation stabilized.

With both pumps in place, blood flow steadied through his body. In the days that followed, his condition improved, marking a turning point in his recovery. Weeks after the surgery, Tony returned home.

Now, back in his kitchen, the rhythms of daily life have resumed as he rebuilds his strength and works toward a goal that once felt impossible: becoming eligible for a heart transplant.

"Going to Mayo Clinic saved my life," Tony says. "Dr. Villavicencio gave me another chance and I'm going to make the most of every minute."

The post Mayo Clinic performs its first dual mechanical heart pump procedure, giving father of 2 a path to transplant (VIDEO) appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Mayo Clinic researchers have identified a previously unrecognized way the kidneys regulate water balance — an advance that could lead to improved treatments for polycystic kidney disease (PKD) and other disorders. The study, led by Fouad Chebib, M.D., a nephrologist at Mayo Clinic, is published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

The findings build on decades of scientific understanding by revealing an additional pathway the kidney uses to control water balance. Until now, the body's ability to concentrate urine — and prevent dehydration — has been thought to depend primarily on the hormone vasopressin. Dr. Chebib's team discovered an alternative mechanism that operates independently of that system.

"The kidney's ability to regulate water is one of the most fundamental processes in the body," Dr. Chebib says. "It's not every day that you uncover a new way it carries out that function."

Polycystic kidney disease is a common inherited condition that causes fluid-filled cysts to grow in the kidneys over time, gradually reducing kidney function and often leading to kidney failure. It affects millions of people worldwide, including an estimated 140,000 people in the U.S. with the most common form, autosomal dominant PKD (ADPKD). Many patients eventually require dialysis or a kidney transplant.

Watch: 1940s-era drug shows new promise for kidney disease

Dr. Chebib's team studies how kidney cysts grow in PKD using lab-grown cell models. As part of that work, they tested compounds expected to worsen the disease process by increasing cellular signals linked to cyst growth. One of those compounds was probenecid, a drug first used in the 1940s to conserve limited supplies of penicillin by reducing its urinary excretion.

"We thought this drug would make the disease process worse," Dr. Chebib says. "Instead, it did the opposite."

Rather than promoting cyst growth, the drug slowed it. After repeating the experiments multiple times, the team realized they had uncovered something important.

Further investigation revealed that probenecid affects how kidney cells handle urate, a molecule commonly associated with gout. Inside the cell, urate acts as a signal — triggering a chain of events that helps move water channels to the cell surface. This allows the kidney to reabsorb water and concentrate urine without relying on vasopressin, the hormone traditionally thought to control this process.

"This represents a distinct pathway from what is described in traditional physiology models," Dr. Chebib says. "It demonstrates that the kidney has an additional mechanism to preserve water."

For patients with PKD, the discovery could address one of the biggest challenges of current treatment. The only approved therapy, tolvaptan, works by blocking vasopressin, which slows cyst growth but causes patients to produce very large amounts of urine — often 6 to 7 liters a day. That side effect can be difficult to live with and leads some patients to stop treatment.

In preclinical studies and a small clinical trial, adding probenecid reduced urine volume and nighttime urination while preserving the treatment's effectiveness.

After taking probenecid, patients' urine volume dropped by about 30% on average, and they went from waking up several times a night to urinate to about once per night. Many also reported improved quality of life.

"The goal is to preserve the therapeutic benefit of tolvaptan while reducing its burden," Dr. Chebib says.

Despite these promising results, researchers are not planning to rely on probenecid as a long-term solution. The drug is decades old, affects multiple systems in the body and is not widely available today. Instead, the team is using what they learned to design more targeted therapies.

"Probenecid helped us uncover the mechanism," Dr. Chebib says. "Our goal is to take this insight and develop therapies designed specifically for this pathway."

For Dr. Chebib, the work is rooted in early inspiration. He was drawn to kidney research after his father developed PKD.

"This has been a long and deeply purposeful journey," he says. "It started with a personal motivation and led to something that could ultimately benefit patients."

For a complete list of authors, disclosures and funding, see the study.

JOURNALISTS: Soundbites with Dr. Chebib are available in the downloads below.

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About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.

Media contact:

• Sharon Theimer, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

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PHOENIX — In a study published in the Liver Transplantation journal by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, Mayo Clinic researchers found that a new proactive treatment protocol for alcohol use disorder after liver transplant resulted in a 0% heavy alcohol relapse rate among patients who followed the protocol, compared with a historical relapse rate of approximately 25%.

"The results were greater than we expected," says Channa Jayasekera, M.D., Mayo Clinic transplant hepatologist and senior author of the study. "Among the 21 patients in the study, none relapsed to heavy alcohol use within one year. Although this was a small cohort, having no relapses is incredibly encouraging that we have found an effective intervention."

Researchers defined heavy alcohol use as binge drinking — five or more drinks for men or four or more drinks for women on a single occasion — or drinking alcohol more than four days per week. This standard definition reflects a level of alcohol consumption associated with damage to the transplanted liver and other negative health outcomes.

New protocol aims to prevent alcohol relapse after liver transplant

Alcohol-associated liver disease is now the leading indication for liver transplantation in the U.S., and many patients requiring urgent transplantation do not have time to complete traditional alcohol treatment programs before surgery. Historically, transplant care has often focused on monitoring patients after transplant and intervening only after relapse occurs.

Patients who relapse after transplant face a higher risk of serious health complications and may not be eligible for another liver transplant, making relapse prevention a critical part of long-term care.

Researchers at Mayo Clinic in Arizona developed and studied preventing alcohol-related complications after transplantation, or PACT, a first-of-its-kind multidisciplinary protocol designed to proactively prevent alcohol relapse after transplant. The protocol combines anticraving medication, frequent patient follow-up, alcohol metabolite testing, and coordinated care from transplant hepatologists, surgeons, addiction counselors, psychiatrists and pharmacists.

Watch: Dr. Channa Jayasekera discusses Mayo Clinic PACT study

Journalists: Broadcast-quality sound bites with Dr. Channa Jayasekera are in the downloads at the end of the post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Name super/CG: Channa Jayasekera, M.D./Transplant Hepatology/Mayo Clinic.

"While a liver transplant can cure alcohol-related liver disease, it does not treat alcohol use disorder," says Dr. Jayasekera. "We increasingly understand alcohol use disorder as a chronic medical condition that deserves proactive treatment, just like other chronic diseases. Our goal is to give patients every possible tool to protect their health and preserve the gift of transplantation."

Researchers say the findings could help reshape how transplant centers nationwide approach addiction treatment after liver transplant and help reduce stigma surrounding alcohol use disorder.

"These patients are often young and have a long future ahead of them after transplant," says Dr. Jayasekera. "If these findings are replicated at other centers, this approach could become a game changer in transplant medicine."

Dr. Jayasekera notes that larger studies and replication at additional transplant centers will be important next steps.

For a complete list of authors and disclosures, review the study.

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About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.

About Mayo Clinic Transplant Center
Mayo Clinic Transplant Center is one of the largest and most comprehensive transplant programs in the world. With programs in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota, Mayo Clinic provides seamless, coordinated care across adult heart, lung, liver, kidney and pancreas transplantation. Guided by a commitment to innovation, research and education, Mayo Clinic Transplant Center delivers world-leading outcomes, compassionate patient care and advances that shape the future of transplantation worldwide.

Media contact:

• Kelley Luckstein, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

The post Mayo Clinic study finds new post-liver transplant protocol results in 0% heavy alcohol relapse rate appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.