Cardiac surgeries requiring temporary support for the heart and lungs using cardiopulmonary bypass can lead to severe postoperative complications, driven by inflammation and hypoxia. These complications include neurological disorders such as delirium, in 50% of the cases, and acute kidney injury in 30% of the cases. Neurological disorders can be greatly distressing for already vulnerable patients; avoiding these would be a real breakthrough.
The MEGA-HEART project, led by Professor Lankadeva, aims to investigate the use of a Florey and Austin Health-patented novel formulation of sodium ascorbate to reduce intra- and postoperative inflammation and hypoxia in the brain and kidneys. Professor Yugeesh Lankadeva’s work has already been pivotal in developing the world’s first clinically relevant large animal models where blood flow and oxygen levels can be continually assessed in the brain and kidneys before, during, and after heart surgery or sepsis.
The team is now focused on determining the optimal dosage of this treatment through large animal trials in sheep, providing the crucial data to pave the way for the first human trials in clinical settings.
This innovative research is a significant contribution to improving neurological, cardiac, and renal health in Australia and around the world. This potentially revolutionary research was covered in The Australian, on Channel 7 and Channel 9 news. More information about the project is available from The University of Melbourne.
Last edited: 12 May 2025 13:06
