SCTS 2026 | Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Transplants

At the Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery in Great Britain and Ireland Annual Meeting, leading surgeons presented on mesenchymal stem cells and transplants.  

Dr. Laurens Ceulemans, a thoracic and transplant surgeon and Associate Professor of Surgery at UZ/KU Leuven, Belgium, delivered a presentation titled “Lung Transplant: Daytime Surgery.” He discussed the impact of ischemic time and temperature on lung presentation, presented on a pilot study that utilized 10 degrees Celsius to intentionally delay transplantation, as well as a prospective randomized multicenter controlled trial. Dr. Ceulemans also addressed the topics of organ preservation, night bridging, and presented a case study on the sudden loss of cabin pressure during transport.   

Next, Dr. Muhammad Mansoor Mohiuddin, Professor of Surgery and Director of the Cardiac Xenotransplantation Program at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, spoke on “Lessons From Cardiac Xenotransplantation.” His discussion covered topics such as cardiac xenograft survival, overcoming immunological barriers, and heterotopic heart transplantation. He also examined perioperative cardiac xenograft dysfunction (PCXD), overcoming PCXD, and highlighted the 2026 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) consensus statement. 

Finally, Dr. Marius Berman, a consultant cardiothoracic and transplant surgeon, Surgical Director of Transplantation and Mechanical Circulatory Support at Royal Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, UK, and National Heart Transplantation Specialty Advisor at NHS England, and Chair of the Retrieval Advisory Group at NHS Blood and Transplant, concluded the session with a presentation on “Novel Technologies in Cardiothoracic Transplantation.” He discussed donation after brain death and donation after circulatory death, as well as preserving and transporting organs. Dr. Berman highlighted major challenges surrounding access to machine perfusion, the variation in donation between countries, and the advantages of TA-normothermic regional perfusion (TANRP). 

All presentations concluded with Q&A sessions.    

In March 2026, the Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery in Great Britain and Ireland held its annual conference, uniting experts in cardiothoracic surgery to explore the newest innovations in technology and surgical methods. Watch for more SCTS 2026 videos in the coming weeks.   

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