Case study

Eye tissue delivered globally in time for transplant surgeries

The challenge

An eye bank needed to quickly move two donated corneas from Kansas City, MO to Tunis, Tunisia. The corneas were available on a Friday and needed to arrive by Monday to remain within the tissue’s viability window for transplant surgery on Tuesday.

With the eye bank’s incumbent logistics providers not operating over weekends, the organization needed a new solution. Waiting until Monday to ship the tissue same-day would be both a costly and risky move, as any delays at that point would result in the corneas being unviable for surgery.

The solution

Ascent stepped in with our next flight out (NFO) solution to keep the organization’s shipment moving over the weekend. Our expert team provided proactive, 24/7 monitoring and managed every step of the process—from ground pickup to air transport—ensuring real-time visibility and rapid response.

The corneas were transported in validated insulated packaging with wet ice, requiring strict temperature control between 2–8°C (35.6–46.4°F) throughout transit. Our team safeguarded cold chain integrity through precise coordination of every touchpoint, ensuring the shipment remained protected and on track from origin to destination.

By serving as the eye bank’s single point of contact, Ascent saved the organization both time and cost, eliminating the need for multiple providers and providing full confidence in the shipment’s status at all times.

The cornea’s journey included three flight legs: Kansas City to Chicago, Chicago to Istanbul, then Istanbul to Tunisia. The first two legs moved seamlessly. On the final leg, however, an authorization delay prevented the corneas from making their scheduled flight. Our team immediately identified the issue, leveraged established airline relationships to secure the required approval and arranged placement on the next available flight that same day.

Throughout transit, our team stayed on top of every handoff, keeping the shipment secure, temperature-controlled and on schedule while providing real-time updates, so the eye bank never had to step in.

The result

The corneas arrived in Tunisia on Monday evening, in time for the scheduled surgeries and well within the preservation window. The surgeon collected the tissue at the airport, and the transplants were completed successfully the following day.

This delivery ensured the success of two transplant procedures, giving patients the gift of sight while helping the eye bank strengthen its global eye tissue program.

Want to share this case study with your team?

Looking for a logistics partner for your eye bank?

Ascent’s time-critical solutions provide secure transportation backed by a 24/7 dedicated team.