LIFEPORT KIDNEY TRANSPORTER FOR ORGAN RECOVERY SYSTEMS

A new standard in organ transport systems

With approximately 55,000 Americans waiting to receive kidneys and a list that could double in the next 10 years, there is an acute and urgent need for new technology to increase the quality and number of organs available for transplant.

The LifePort Kidney Transporter provides a new high-tech alternative to the conventional method of organ storage and transportation—a cooler filled with ice. The LifePort gently perfuses, or pumps, the kidney with a cold liquid solution to improve its condition before transplantation, which can nearly double storage time and may increase the number of usable kidneys and improve patient outcomes. The device also provides critical data to monitor and evaluate kidneys during transport.

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Project date: 2003


Facts & Figures

Kidneys transported in the LifePort device have been shown to be 48% less likely to fail within the first year after the transplant than those preserved by the traditional icebox method.

The ORS Lifeport captured 60% of the market share of organ procurement services and is currently used in 2/3 of all U.S. clinics.

Before the LifePort, doctors and nurses needed to accompany organs during transport - from cross-town too cross-country trips - to ensure proper handling. (IDEO research)

The team likened the LifePort to an egg, with its protective shell and delicate interior that requires careful handling.

"The Life Port carrier provides a new solution for transporting donor kidneys, and its design conveys the fragility and importance of what's inside." [Read more at BusinessWeek.com]

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