Paragonix Technologies has announced the completion of two landmark kidney transplants utilising the KidneyVault portable renal perfusion system.
Originating from the same donor at The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, both kidneys were transported thousands of miles in commercial aircraft cargo holds to separate transplant centres, demonstrating the ability of advanced preservation technology to support extended preservation times while maintaining tightly controlled temperatures throughout transport, the company details in a press release.
Recovered through Legacy of Life Hawaii, Hawaii’s federally designated organ procurement organisation (OPO), the donor’s left kidney travelled 4,311.2 nautical miles from Honolulu to New York. The donor’s right kidney travelled an even greater distance of 4,353.8 nautical miles centre-to-centre, journeying to Hartford, Connecticut.
“These historic transplants reflect what is possible when innovation, collaboration, and the generosity of donor families come together,” said Leonard Licina, president & CEO of Legacy of Life Hawaii. “Every successful recovery represents a selfless gift, and we’re proud to work alongside our transplant centre and transportation partners to help ensure those gifts reach patients in need—no matter the distance.”
With a total ischaemic time of 18 hours, 29 minutes, and a scheduled layover in Denver, the Connecticut case represents both the longest recovery and transport on record for Legacy of Life Hawaii and the longest documented donor kidney transport to date, demonstrating how advances in preservation technology are redefining the practical limits of organ sharing.
As one of the USA’s most geographically remote donor service areas, Hawaii presents unique logistical challenges for donor organ transportation. Innovations in portable preservation and transport are helping overcome those barriers, enabling donor organs recovered in remote communities to participate more fully in the national transplant network and expanding access to lifesaving transplantation for patients regardless of geography.
While hypothermic machine perfusion remains the clinical standard for kidney preservation, mitigating the risk of delayed graft function and improving graft survival, the KidneyVault system extends those benefits throughout organ allocation and transportation, the Paragonix Technologies press release states. The system provides continuous, portable perfusion during commercial air travel while giving transplant teams real-time visibility into organ preservation status.
“These landmark transplants demonstrate how advanced preservation technology is redefining the practical limits of organ transportation,” said Jake Miles, medical director at Paragonix Technologies. “The KidneyVault system was engineered to give transplant teams the flexibility to transport donor kidneys wherever patients need them. Not just across the country, but across oceans, through connecting flights, and over extended preservation times. As organ sharing continues to evolve, technologies that support safe, reliable transport under virtually any logistical scenario are essential to expanding access to transplantation.”
