Bari Polyclinic Becomes Europe’s Largest Heart Transplant Center in 2025, Powered by Paragonix Advanced Preservation
Milestone highlighted by center’s adoption of advanced Paragonix preservation technology, enabling controlled, consistent hypothermic protection for every donor heart
WALTHAM, Mass., Feb. 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Paragonix Technologies, a pioneer in organ transplant technologies and services, recognizes the Cardiac Surgery Department at Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico di Bari for completing a milestone year in heart transplantation, cementing its position as the largest heart transplant center in the European Union in 2025.
With nearly nine heart transplants performed per month and more than 100 procedures completed before year-end, Bari Polyclinic has set a new benchmark for scale, efficiency, and clinical excellence in European cardiac transplantation.
A key factor to this achievement has been the center’s exclusive use of the Paragonix SherpaPak® Cardiac Transport System, which provides controlled, consistent hypothermic preservation for every donor heart transported to Bari. By eliminating the temperature variability inherent to traditional ice storage, the SherpaPak System has enabled the Bari team to reliably support long-distance organ transport, expand donor reach, and maintain consistent organ quality at an unprecedented volume.
Throughout 2025, Bari Polyclinic delivered some of the shortest heart-transplant waiting times in Italy, averaging approximately 80 days compared to a national average approaching one year. Just weeks before the end of the year, the Bari team successfully transplanted its 100th patient, a 58-year-old man from Puglia who had been on the heart-transplant waiting list since September.
Guided by Professor Tomaso Bottio, the Cardiac Surgery Department now performs nearly nine heart transplants per month, among the highest rates in Europe. Notably, one-third of patients treated in 2025 traveled from outside the region, a testament to the center’s growing influence and the confidence it inspires across Italy.
“Reaching one hundred heart transplants in just eleven months is not only a reflection of our team’s capability, but of our commitment to continuous improvement,” said Professor Tomaso Bottio, Director of Cardiac Surgery. “Increasing transplant volume at this scale requires more than surgical expertise, however. It also demands reliability across every step of the process. Advanced preservation technologies such as SherpaPak CTS allow us to protect donor hearts during transport, support longer travel distances, and deliver consistent outcomes for our patients. That reliability has been essential to our growth.”
The program’s momentum aligns with recently published clinical data showing significantly improved four-year survival in patients whose donor hearts were preserved using the SherpaPak System compared to traditional ice storage—evidence that advanced preservation can directly support both patient outcomes and program scalability.
Behind the milestone year is a coordinated, around-the-clock effort from surgeons, nurses, perfusionists, operating room teams, and laboratory staff, supported by standardized transport workflows that allow the program to operate at high volume without compromising care.
“We are honored to support the Bari Polyclinic team as they reach this remarkable milestone,” said Lisa Anderson, PhD, President of Paragonix Technologies. “Their achievement underscores what is possible when surgical excellence, coordinated care, and advanced preservation technologies come together. Bari Polyclinic’s leadership in European heart transplantation continues to demonstrate the profound impact of protecting every donor heart with the highest possible standards.”
For more information about Paragonix Technologies, please visit www.paragonix.com.
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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- Comparison of Paragonix systems to Ice Storage, Paragonix data on file. GUARDIAN is a registered clinical study funded and administered by Paragonix Technologies. The data from the registry is descriptive, not statistically powered, and not pre-specified. The information should be interpreted accordingly.
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