A major milestone in Quebec that will improve the odds of transplant candidates receiving a donor heart

The Montreal Heart Institute and CHU Sainte-Justine are set to begin using a cutting-edge device that will expand access to cardiac transplantation

MONTREAL, April 30, 2026 /CNW/ - The TransMedics Organ Care System (OCS) Heart, a device designed to preserve donor hearts and transport them under near-physiological conditions, is making its debut at the Montreal Heart Institute (MHI) and CHU Sainte-Justine. With standard methods, a heart can only be kept on ice for four to six hours. The OCS Heart is a perfusion system that safely keeps the heart beating and oxygenated for longer periods of time. As a result, it increases the number of donated organs that can be transported, thereby improving the odds of an adult or pediatric patient on the waiting list of receiving a transplant.

"Every day, I wonder if this is the day the phone will ring. I'm learning to live with uncertainty, but I also know I'm in a race against time. I'm just hoping for a chance to receive a heart," said Robert B., a patient on the heart transplant waiting list at the MHI.

Many patients are waiting for a life-saving transplant procedure at the MHI and CHU Sainte-Justine. In fact, a transplant candidate in Quebec will spend an average of 204 days on a waiting list – a period defined by constant uncertainty. Moreover, the number of people awaiting a transplant increased from 856 to 898 between 2024 and 2025. Of this number, 67 were waiting for a heart transplant in 2025. 

"Every additional heart can change a life. By expanding the potential pool of donors, we'll be expanding access to transplants and reducing the risk of death in patients who would otherwise not receive a heart in time. This innovation not only represents a technological step forward, it also means a greater chance of receiving a donor organ," said Dr. Pierre-Emmanuel Noly, a heart surgeon at the MHI.

"For children waiting for a new heart, every day is a day too long," said Dr. Nancy Poirier, a heart surgeon at the MHI and CHU Sainte-Justine. "Every day puts them at risk for major complications, including death. Moreover, these children often remain in the hospital while they wait for a new heart, which prevents them from enjoying a normal childhood and compromises their development. Not to mention it also obviously impacts their whole family. By reducing wait times and allowing more children to receive the heart they need at the right time, this device will significantly change lives."

A heart transplant requires a close collaboration between myriad parties. Transplant Québec plays a pivotal role in coordinating organ donation, managing waiting lists, and overseeing organ recoveries across the province. The OCS Heart will be used to facilitate these processes. It will provide more flexibility for transporting and evaluating donor organs, in particular when recipients are located a long distance from the point of collection.

"Every technological breakthrough is marked by stories that are defined by hope and a sense of urgency. Each milestone and innovation expands the odds of receiving a transplant and reduces wait times for those for whom every second counts. They are the reason Transplant Québec pursues its mission. Its goal is to turn every donation and breakthrough into a genuine second chance at life," said Transplant Québec president and CEO Martine Bouchard.

This achievement leverages the technological expertise of TransMedics and was made possible thanks to the MHI Foundation and the CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation, organizations dedicated to supporting projects that improve access to care and the lives of patients.

About the Montreal Heart Institute

The Montreal Heart Institute (MHI) was founded in 1954. It constantly strives for the highest standards of excellence in cardiovascular medicine by being a leader in clinical, prevention, and basic research, highly specialized care, ongoing professional development, and precision medicine. It is home to Canada's largest cardiology research centre, cardiovascular prevention centre, and cardiovascular genetics centre. The MHI is affiliated with the Université de Montréal and has more than 2,600 employees, including 238 physicians and more than 105 researchers. icm-mhi.org

About the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine 

The Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine is the largest mother-child hospital in Canada. It is a member of the Université de Montréal extended network of excellence in health (RUIS) and has 7,093 employees, including 2,009 in nursing and cardio-respiratory care; 458 physicians, dentists, and pharmacists; 324 researchers; 250 volunteers; and 4,300 interns and students in a wide range of disciplines. CHU Sainte-Justine has 484 beds, including 67 at the Centre de réadaptation Marie Enfant (CRME), the only exclusively pediatric rehabilitation centre in Quebec.  The World Health Organization has recognized CHU Sainte-Justine as a "health-promoting hospital." chusj.org

About Transplant Québec

The Minister of Health and Social Services has mandated Transplant Québec to save lives and improve the health of persons in need of a transplant by coordinating the organ donation process, ensuring the equitable allocation of organs, supporting best clinical practices through consensus building and the mobilization of its partners, and promoting organ donation in society. For more than 55 years, Transplant Québec has been striving to ensure that as many Quebecers as possible who are waiting on an organ can receive a transplant in a timely manner. http://www.transplantquebec.ca

SOURCE Montreal Heart Institute Foundation

Media inquiries: Christian Ahuet, [email protected], 514 994-7496