Yet, recent research suggests that only approximately 20 to 30% of lungs that might be used in transplants are actually given to patients. One issue is that maintaining lungs for transplantation is still quite difficult. The common technique for preserving lungs is called ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP). But EVLP support can usually only last for about six hours at most. Some modifications have been attempted so that EVLP will last longer, but the lungs that have been used in transplants after such methods have not performed well once they are transplanted. EVLP also fails to mimic many aspects of normal physiology.This new work has demonstrated the feasibility of a novel technique that can sustain lungs for transplant.