Drone Delivers Lungs to Transplant Recipient, a Medical First

Two Toronto hospitals were involved in the expedited organ delivery.

It took just six minutes, but the successful flight from Toronto Western Hospital to Toronto General Hospital demonstrated the efficacy of using drones to quickly and safely transport lungs for transplantation.

Alain Hodak, a 63-year-old engineer, is the first person in history to receive a pair of lungs from a delivery drone. The shipment happened in Toronto on September 25th, as the drone landed on the roof of Toronto General Hospital at around 1:00 a.m. local time, as the Canadian Press reports via the CBC.

Shaf Keshavjee, the surgeon-in-chief with Canada’s University Health Network and a professor at the University of Toronto, was there to receive and inspect the precious package.

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