WALTHAM, Mass., July 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Paragonix Technologies, a pioneer in organ transplant technologies, organ offer, and surgical recovery services, today announced the successful completion of two landmark kidney transplants utilizing 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 centers, demonstrating the ability of advanced preservation technology to support extended preservation times while maintaining tightly controlled temperatures throughout transport.
Recovered through Legacy of Life Hawaii, Hawaii's federally designated organ procurement organization (OPO), the donor's left kidney traveled 4,311.2 nautical miles from Honolulu to New York, NY. The donor's right kidney traveled an even greater distance of 4,353.8 nautical miles center-to-center, journeying to Hartford, CT.
"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 center and transportation partners to help ensure those gifts reach patients in need—no matter the distance."
With a total ischemic 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 nation'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 function1 and improving graft survival2, the KidneyVault System extends those benefits throughout organ allocation and transportation. Designed specifically for the realities of modern organ transportation, it 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 Dr. 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."
As organ allocation continues to evolve toward broader sharing and greater equity, advanced preservation technologies like the KidneyVault Portable Renal Perfusion System can help overcome geographic barriers, support longer-distance organ recovery, and improve access to transplantation for patients across the United States.
About Paragonix Technologies
Paragonix Technologies, a Getinge company, is redefining how donor organs are protected and delivered, setting a new standard of care for transplantation worldwide. Built on the belief that every donated organ deserves the highest level of precision and respect, Paragonix partners with transplant centers and OPOs to improve outcomes through clinically proven preservation technologies and expert, hands-on procurement support.
Our nationwide transplant services provide 24/7 access to surgical recovery teams, logistics coordination, and clinical excellence — streamlining the recovery process and expanding access to life-saving organs. Combined with real-time digital monitoring, transparent data sharing, and the world’s largest preservation-focused clinical registries, Paragonix aims to deliver every possible advantage to healthcare providers and patients alike. For more information, visit www.paragonix.com.
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- Tingle SJ, et al. Normothermic and hypothermic machine perfusion preservation versus static cold storage for deceased donor kidney transplantation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2024 Jul 9;7(7):CD011671
- Dharesh Raj et al. Machine perfusion for deceased donor kidney transplantation: Network meta-analysis of the Cochrane review. American Journal of Transplantation, Volume 0, Issue 0
Indications for Use
The Paragonix KidneyVault® Portable Renal Perfusion System is intended to be used for the pulsatile hypothermic machine perfusion of kidneys for the preservation, transportation, and eventual transplantation into a recipient using cold storage solutions indicated for use with this organ.
The Paragonix KidneyVault® Portable Renal Perfusion System can maintain the donor organ storage temperature between 4°C and 8°C through 24 hours. Donor kidneys exceeding clinically accepted hypothermic preservation times should be evaluated by the transplant surgeon to determine transplantability in accordance with accepted clinical guidelines and in the best medical interest of the intended recipient.
