About Organ Recovery Systems
Headquartered in Itasca, Illinois, with a satellite location in Belgium, Organ Recovery Systems is a global market-leading provider of organ preservation products and services. We support 403 transplant programs across 49 countries. In 2025, the company reached 275,000 kidneys perfused with LKT since its launch in 2003.
Organ Recovery Systems’ proprietary LifePort platform has also been successfully designed to accommodate donor livers to help improve transplant outcomes for end-stage liver disease patients. LifePort Kidney and Liver Transporters are among a growing family of products and services developed by Organ Recovery Systems to support the Company’s mission of honoring donation as a gift of life, improving outcomes, and helping lower overall costs of care for end-stage organ disease.
About the Belgian National Preservation Service.
The Belgian National Preservation Service is a service provided by Organ Recovery Systems. It operates in close collaboration with all seven Belgian university transplant centers and supports transplant teams in the use of hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) for eligible donor kidneys.
This 24/7 service involves a dedicated Kidney Preservationist who travels with the necessary equipment to the donor hospital. Upon arrival, the Preservationist consults with the surgeon and the organ recovery team to ensure the proper connection of the kidney to the LifePort®, Organ Recovery Systems’ hypothermic machine perfusion device.
Following a successful pilot project involving a select group of intensively trained students serving as Kidney Preservationists, Organ Recovery Systems decided to continue and expand this student-based model permanently.
Some Numbers.
Between 1 October 2022 and 1 November 2025 the National Preservation Service has been involved in over 500 donors and has successfully connected over 700 kidneys to hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP).
These figures demonstrate that the service is activated approximately 160 times per year on average and performs HMP on 220 kidneys annually.
The National Preservation Service:
A success story?
On November 13, 2025, the first publication concerning our National Preservation Service—authored by all seven Belgian university transplant centers—was published in the prestigious journal Transplant International.
This retrospective study evaluated the impact of implementing the National Preservation Service on kidney transplant volumes and its financial implications for the Belgian healthcare system. The analysis covered 242 machine-perfused donor kidneys from October 2022 to September 2023.
Key findings:
A significant increase in the national utilization rate of DCD kidneys, from 90 to 175 transplanted kidneys.
This translates to 90 additional patients receiving a kidney transplant in the first year alone—transplants that would not have occurred otherwise.
Given the high cost of hemodialysis, this resulted in cost savings of €3.59 million for the Belgian healthcare system in the first year.
Furthermore, the publication establishes oxygenated hypothermic machine perfusion (O₂ HMP) as the new standard of care.
Our Team
Working at Organ Recovery Systems has been an incredibly enriching experience for me, as it has allowed me to operate in a wide variety of settings. From Flemish to Walloon hospitals, with different colleagues and consistently new, educational experiences with each procedure. Every operating room brings its own unique dynamic, making the role both challenging and rewarding.
Despite the diversity in locations and procedures, the consistent operation of the machines provides a reassuring routine, enabling you to feel increasingly confident and competent over time. Navigating these varied situations has also significantly improved my ability to communicate effectively with surgeons and manage the inherent pressures of the role.
What makes this position truly special is the opportunity to collaborate with medical students from across Belgium in a professional environment. This not only fosters an engaging team dynamic but also builds friendships that will last throughout our careers..”
Zaza
Participating in the operating room (OR) as a student is a unique experience, but it becomes even more educational when you play a concrete role. You get the opportunity to develop as part of the organ recovery team, which—in my opinion—is the perfect preparation for any future internships!
Lode
After working as a kidney perfusionist and tutor for new students, I can honestly say that my role at Organ Recovery Systems has changed me as a person. Dealing with stress, solving acute problems, and managing an entire case for which you are responsible are experiences that I will never forget and for which I will remain eternally grateful. Added to this is working in a great team of peers and getting an insight into all hospitals throughout Belgium: experiences that will stay with me forever. Thank you, ORS, for everything.”
Milan
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