Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center adopts “Heart-in-a-Box” technology to expand reach of donor hearts

June 22, 2026 - 23:00

Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center has successfully completed its first heart transplant using a novel cardiac preservation system that keeps donor hearts beating outside the body. The technology, often called "Heart-in-a-Box," allows surgeons to extend the time a donated heart remains viable for transplantation, potentially increasing the number of usable organs.

Traditional methods rely on cooling the heart in a static ice cooler, which limits the window for transport to roughly four to six hours. The new system instead pumps warm, oxygenated blood through the organ, maintaining its function and metabolic activity. This approach can double the preservation time, giving surgical teams more flexibility to match organs with recipients who live farther away.

Dr. Walter McGregor, surgical director of heart transplantation at the medical center, said the device marks a significant step forward. "It allows us to evaluate the heart in a near-physiologic state before implantation, which could improve outcomes," he noted. The first recipient, a patient with end-stage heart failure, is recovering well.

The hospital plans to use the technology routinely, aiming to reduce waitlist times and expand the geographic area from which it can accept donor hearts. For patients in central Pennsylvania, this means a better chance of receiving a life-saving transplant without having to travel to larger urban centers.