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Jiaxiao Li: Optimizing the gift of life: Respiratory therapist-led, EIT-guided donor lung management. Canadian Journal of Respiratory Therapy Background: Donor lungs are frequently lost during the organ donation process, making lung preservation a key determinant of overall transplant success. Objectives: This commentary highlights how respiratory therapist–led donor lung management, supported by electrical impedance tomography (EIT), could improve lung utilization through more personalized ventilation strategies. Methods: The author synthesizes current challenges in donor lung stewardship and discusses the clinical rationale and potential role of EIT to guide real-time, individualized ventilator adjustments in donors. Results: EIT is presented as a promising tool to optimize ventilation distribution, support lung-protective decision-making, and strengthen RT leadership in donor management, with a proposed call-to-action for broader adoption and collaboration. Conclusions: Advancing RT-led, EIT-guided donor lung management may reduce preventable lung loss and improve transplant outcomes, and the profession is encouraged to champion implementation, education, and research in this area.
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