Recruiting

Testing a heart preservation device for transplant candidates

Plain-English translation of NCT06895070 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated March 2026 · Translation generated June 2026 · How we translate trials

This study doesn't follow the usual testing phases — it may be an observational study or a different type of research.

What is this trial?

This trial is testing the XVIVO Heart Assist Transport System, a machine that preserves donor hearts outside the body during transport to the transplant hospital. The study aims to show that this device allows doctors to safely use hearts from donors who might not meet current standard acceptance criteria, giving more patients access to life-saving heart transplants.

Many patients waiting for a heart transplant cannot find a suitable donor heart in time using current preservation methods. This device allows doctors to evaluate and preserve hearts that were previously considered too risky or damaged to use, potentially expanding the pool of available donor hearts and saving more lives.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you are 18 years old or older
you are already listed for heart transplantation
you have signed an informed consent form agreeing to participate
you have not had a previous organ or bone marrow transplant
you are willing to receive a heart from a donor that may not meet traditional donor criteria

You likely don't qualify if…

you have had a previous solid organ or bone marrow transplant
you need multiple organs transplanted (heart and other organs)
you are on kidney dialysis or need ongoing kidney replacement therapy
you are on a ventilator (breathing machine) and unable to give consent
you have a highly sensitized immune system that is very likely to reject a donor heart

What participation looks like

If you qualify and are matched with a donor heart preserved using this device, you would undergo the standard heart transplant surgery. Your heart would be transported and preserved using the XVIVO Heart Assist Transport System instead of the traditional cold preservation method. After transplant, you would have standard follow-up care and monitoring like any other heart transplant recipient.

AI-generated summary from trial data · Jun 22, 2026 · Not medical advice

Trial locations(14 sites)

United States

UC San Diego Health, La Jolla, California

Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California

University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California

Stanford University, Stanford, California

Emory University Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia