The small jet cruises at more than 500 mph and can soar across the country in a few hours. Onboard are a surgeon and two surgical coordinators, often briefed on the trip’s details just minutes before takeoff.
Their goal? Obtain hearts, livers, kidneys or other transplant organs as fast as possible, then return them to Utah in hopes of saving a patient’s life.
In long-distance organ retrieval operations, where minutes can make a life-or-death difference, Utah medical officials said Monday that a new Cessna Citation CJ4 jet — devoted entirely to organ retrieval and similar trips to and from Utah — has already made a positive impact in its first year of operation.