Paragonix Has 1st Pediatric Use of BAROguard Donor Lung System

Paragonix has completed the first lung transplant case where a set of pediatric donor lungs were preserved using its BAROguard donor lung preservation system.
 
BAROguard earned U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance in August 2023 and was commercially launched in April 2024. This case marks the device’s first use in a pediatric setting.
 
BAROguard combines the company’s advanced hypothermic preservation tech with automated, continuous, and active airway pressure control to ensure that an optimal temperature range and clinically recommended inflation pressure range for donor lungs are maintained from donor to recipient patient.
 
The device also features Bluetooth tracking and real-time reporting so surgeons and transplant teams receive continuous data on the organ’s condition throughout transit.
 
The donor lungs were procured by Dr. Yuriy Stukov and Dr. Mohamad Aladaileah, and successfully transplanted by Dr. Mindaugas Rackauskas and Dr. Mark Bleiweis at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital in Gainesville, Fla.
 
“UF Shands Children’s Hospital is committed to providing leading-edge and high-quality care to children and their families, and we are proud to do so by utilizing innovative technologies like advanced organ preservation,” said Dr. Rackauskas, who is Surgical Director of Pediatric Lung Transplant Program at UF Health Shands Hospital. “The ability to actively manage airway pressure and internal temperature is an advancement that is increasing the availability of high-quality donor lungs nationwide. Introducing this technology to the pediatric field will significantly impact the many children on the pediatric donor waiting list.”
 
“We are thrilled to see BAROguard technology making a difference in the pediatric setting, enhancing preservation techniques and outcomes for pediatric lung transplant recipients,” said Lisa Anderson, Ph.D., president of Paragonix. “Our advanced preservation system, which has consistently proven successful in previous pediatric transplant cases, offers young recipients a vital second chance at life and reinforces our commitment to continued innovation in organ transplantation.”
 
Paragonix was acquired by Getinge in a $477 million deal last month.