Perfusion System Market

Market Overview

The global Perfusion System Market was valued at approximately USD 1.2 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 2.1 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 6.3% during the forecast period (2025–2033).

Perfusion systems are crucial for preserving blood or perfusate flow to organs and tissues during operations or organ preservation from harm. These active systems can be used in cardiac surgeries, organ transplantations or general medical (or surgical) procedures such as ECMO. Perfusion systems are necessary because they deliver oxygen and nutrients for the geron/ organ to function while maintaining organ viability during complex medical interventions. Additionally, the rising incidence of organ failure, the increase of transplantations requiring perfusion systems, technological advances in ex vivo perfusion of organs, and the increased utilization of ECMO in intensive care units are a few reasons why this market is expanding. Furthermore, increasing organ preservation time in light of the global shortage of donor organs contributes to the increase operational demands for perfusion systems for organ transplantation and current health care systems.

Market Dynamics

Market Drivers

Rising Demand for Organ Transplantation and Preservation

The increasing incidence of end-stage organ failure such as liver, kidney, and heart failure is a major factor for growth in the perfusion system market. There has been an increase in organ transplants world-wide, as surgical outcomes have gotten better, awareness has increased, and donor programs have grown. In 2023, the Global Observatory on Donation and Transplantation (GODT) recorded over 157,000 solid organ transplants worldwide, a 9% increase over the previous year.

However, the challenge of organ shortages continues, with thousands waiting on organ transplant lists at any given time. Ex vivo perfusion systems are often used to preserve, assess, and recondition donor organs outside of the body, which can improve both transplant viability and transplant outcomes. For example, in April 2024, XVIVO Perfusion announced successful trials of its XPS™ system for normothermic lung perfusion, which elevated viability between donation and transplant and subsequently increased the number of viable lungs for transplant.

Ex vivo perfusion systems are being used in transplant centers worldwide and the ability to prolong preservation and improve organ quality is now supporting the increasing adoption of these systems. Moreover, both governmental and NGO investment in transplant infrastructures has risen as increased funding is driving up transplant funding. For example, India’s National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) has received additional funding in 2023 and will be scaling organ donation awareness and supporting technologies including organ perfusion. 

Increasing Use of ECMO in Critical Care, Especially Post-Pandemic

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) systems–an advanced life-support modality–have become increasingly prominent in critical care around the world. With the onset of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the need for advanced life-support tools for respiratory and cardiac supports became apparent. ECMO therapy provides prolonged cardiac and respiratory support to both adults and pediatric patients suffering from debilitating injury to their heart and lungs.

ECMO support is especially useful for patients suffering from acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) or massive cardiogenic shock. As the COVID-19 emerged, there was a significant increase in ECMO therapy use in studies that included real-world practice, as well as reports of increased prevalence of the device. According to the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) there were > 17,000 cases of COVID-19 related ECMO reported worldwide as of 2023 from just over 500 hospitals.

Even as the pandemic ends, the need for ECMO has remained due to its increased usage in patients undergoing cardiac surgery, patients presented with sepsis, and pediatric cardiac and respiratory patients. As of June 2024, Getinge released an upgraded model of the Cardiohelp ECMO system to include enhancements to portability and integrated monitoring tools that paved the way for increased usage in the intensive care unit and during emergency response.

The increasingly regular adoption of ECMO systems in tertiary hospitals, including cost covered for governmental emergency response (i.e. mobile ECMO units in Germany, critical care protocol recommendation in China) has publicized the importance of ECMO systems in healthcare and has been directly linked to the increase in growth in the global perfusion systems market.

Market restraint 

High Cost of Perfusion Systems and Procedures

A key barrier to market growth is the high cost of equipment, service and procedures involved with perfusion systems. Perfusion equipment (in particular, advanced ex vivo organ perfusion devices and ECMO systems) involves high fixed capital costs, which greatly limits their uptake when applying them, especially within low- income and middle-income countries.

For example, the ECMO systems cost anywhere from USD 150,000–250,000. This amount does not include costs on specialized personnel, disposable circuit and components, oxygenator, and associated shadowing Intensive Care Management (ICM) costs, nor do other factors about delayed sequences of perfusion. In the same way, normothermic organ preservation systems are priced between USD 30,000–60,000 each and then additional costs for every organ-perfusion case to supply perfusion devices upstream.

The burden on hospitals can be substantial – its a huge cost especially in limited-resource environments. The burden of staffing also highlights the need to have trained personnel in addition to the actual operation and management of a perfusion system as it may not be financially feasible.

Many in developing countries also lack reimbursement policies and/or have limited insurance coverage for perfusion systems when employing advanced perfusion based procedures, meaning hospitals are reluctant to invest in this technology. As a result despite an improvement in clinical outcomes associated with perfusion systems – affordability and financial feasibility remain key hurdles in curbing market uptake around the world particularly around regions around Latin America, parts of Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Segmental Analysis

The Perfusion System Market is segmented by type, By Application and end-user. Each segment plays a vital role in enhancing clinical outcomes in cardiac surgeries, organ transplants, and critical care procedures.

By Type

Cardiopulmonary Perfusion Systems commanded the largest share of the market at 42.1% in 2024, mainly due to the substantial numbers of cardiac surgery cases using heart-lung machines. These perfusion systems are critical components of open-heart surgeries like coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and valve replacements where they take over heart and lung function temporarily.

The escalating global incidences of cardiovascular diseases and the rapid growth of minimally invasive cardiac surgeries are the main contributing factors to this segment. Hypothermic Machine Perfusion systems are growing quickly as they are being used extensively and effectively in organ transplantation, especially for maintaining the viability of kidneys and livers.

These systems guarantee better transplant surgery outcomes, especially with the poor outcomes associated with extended criteria donors. The growing creative sophistication of organ transplants and the ever-advancing perfusion technology will continue to fuel this segment.

Although smaller than its reported segments, Isolated Limb Perfusion Systems are gaining prevalence in the oncology establishment for delivering targeted chemotherapy to patients with limb sarcomas and melanomas. Their continued usage and growth in this highly specialized activity is distinctly visible in specialized cancer treatment centers, specifically in North America and Europe.

By End-User

Hospitals are expected to account for 61.4% of all perfusion systems purchase category spend in 2024. Hospitals are the dominant customer precision, as they are the facilitator for a multitude of complex surgeries, including cardiac and transplant surgery. Tertiary hospitals, or specialized cardiac centers are well-equipped within a surgical and post-operative infrastructure.

Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASCs) represent a moderate growth area for the perfusion systems category, as these facilities begin to adopt portable/compact perfusion systems for elective cardiac and vascular (surgical) procedures. They are becoming more attractive to physicians because of lowered procedure costs, shorter periods of stay for patients, and indeal owner and/or physician adoption within many developed countries.

Specialty Clinics, and Transplant Centers represent a highly attractive growth area, especially for organ preservation and perfusion assisted transplantation. They are gaining considerable traction largely due to increasing demand for improved graft preservation, and an increasing network of transplant programs. As a result in specialty clinics and transplant centers, the projected demand for perfusion systems will experience a steady growth pattern over the next 10 years.

By Application 

In 2024, Organ Transplantation accounted for the largest share of the market, supported by an increasing number of transplants and the evolving use of ex vivo perfusion systems to improve the viability of organs and reduce organ discard rates. Cardiovascular Surgeries represent a prominent application area, due to the high usage of cardiopulmonary bypass systems in procurement, and open heart surgery applications such as CABG and valve replacements.

Respiratory Conditions present a rapidly growing area, specifically with the rise of the use of ECMO in critical care for patients suffering from ARDS, pneumonia, and sepsis-related respiratory failure. Other general application areas include emerging areas in oncology and trauma, where perfusion systems are largely still under consideration for its uses in targeted therapies, and even in organ support capabilities during complex surgical applications.

Regional Analysis

North America

North America accounts for the largest market share of 38.5% in 2024, primarily owing to enhanced healthcare infrastructure, high organ transplantation rates, and wide dissemination of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and cardiopulmonary perfusion systems. The U.S. is the largest contributor overall due to its well-developed transplant networks, high surgical volumes, and extensive government and private investments in technologies that support critical care and cardiac care.

Europe

Europe is a mature and significant market driven by the growing number of countries advancing organ treatment such as Germany, France, the U.K., and Spain. Key drivers are high rates of organ donation and advanced adoption of ex vivo organ perfusion systems.

According to Eurotransplant, over 18,000 organ transplants were performed in 2023 among member countries. Additionally, the region’s aging population and focus on advanced surgical procedures greatly support the growing demand for perfusion systems in both transplant and cardiovascular applications.

Asia-Pacific

The Asia-Pacific region will be the fastest growing region, expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.9% during this forecast period. The healthcare expenditure is rising, organ donation awareness is increasing, and the occurrence of heart diseases and respiratory diseases increasing in countries like China, India, Japan, and South Korea is driving market growth. Moreover, the governments in these countries are taking initiatives to improve transplant infrastructure and ICCU level, which will encourage further use of perfusion system.

Latin America and the Middle East & Africa

Latin America and the Middle East & Africa region are also experiencing moderate growth in the perfusion systems market, due to improving healthcare infrastructure and increasing occurrences of chronic organ related diseases. Brazil, Saudi Arabia and South Africa are investing in organ transplantation using this method of practice, in critical care units.

One of the challenges in these regions are that there is limited access to refined medical technologies and variable access to healthcare in countries which do not have funding and economic disparity affecting the access to perfusion systems for organ transplant.

Recent Development

1. October 2024 – Getinge’s Paragonix acquisition: Paragonix Technologies (now part of Getinge) received FDA 510(k) clearance for its portable KidneyVault renal perfusion system, enabling hypothermic perfusion and digital monitoring of donor kidneys during transport.
2. December 2024 – XVIVO XPS used in UK transplant: The XPS ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) system by XVIVO was used in the UK’s first double-lung transplant, significantly improving organ viability and expanding donor lung usage.
3. January 2025 – Getinge’s strategic shift: Getinge announced plans to exit its surgical perfusion product line, reallocating focus towards higher-growth areas such as ECMO/ECLS and transplant care.