Toronto lung transplant surgeon leading innovations to boost donor organ pool

The Toronto Star | Theresa Boyle
Toronto surgeon Dr. Shaf Keshavjee’s innovations are transforming how lung transplants are done. He has lead the development of the Toronto XVIVO Perfusion System, which treats and improves high-risk donor lungs so they can be safely used for transplant.
Photo: RANDY RISLING / TORONTO STAR
Dr. Shaf Keshavjee, seen in the hall of Toronto General Hospital immediately after he performed a double-lung transplant in February, has received the Order of Ontario for his innovative work in his field.
Dr. Shaf Keshavjee apologizes as his BlackBerry keeps buzzing. He is receiving emails from the Trillium Gift of Life Network, Ontario’s organ and tissue donation agency.

They are offering him a pair of lungs â€" organs from an individual whose identity must be kept secret for ethical reasons, and likely the victim of a recent accident, head injury or brain hemorrhage â€" from some undisclosed location in Canada.

Keshavjee, director of the Lung Transplant Program at Toronto General Hospital, part of the University Health Network, peers closely at the screen of the mobile device. He is looking at an x-ray of the organs. The image is tiny, but to his trained eye, he can tell the organs are less than perfect.

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