Apparatus for tissue transport and preservation
Inventors
COLLETTE, Adam • Jessel, Melanie • Anderson, Lisa Maria
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12161110-B2
Publication Date
2024-12-10
Expiration Date
Abstract
Systems and methods of the invention generally relate to prolonging viability of bodily tissue, especially an organ such as a lung, by adjusting pressure as needed to maintain a constant pressure within the organ even during external pressure fluctuations due, for example, to transportation of the organ in an airplane. Gas passing into and out of the organ may be conditioned to prolong tissue viability.
Core Innovation
The invention describes a system for storage of an organ using a transport container and a closed air system formed between a lung airway and a lung adapter. A pump is configured to direct gas through a channel into an airway of a lung while the lung adapter is in fluid communication with the channel, with the channel extending from an exterior of nested containers to an interior of the nested containers.
The channel and lung adapter together operate to form a closed air system with the airway of the lung for gas delivery to the lung during storage. The nested containers are configured to only allow gas to pass from the exterior of the nested containers to the interior of the nested containers through the channel, and a relief valve is configured to release gas from the channel while the pump is directing gas through the channel.
The invention further provides a method for storage of an organ that uses the same closed-system arrangement. The method comprises providing an organ container with a pump directing gas through a channel into an airway of a lung, nested containers, a relief valve releasing gas from the channel while the pump directs gas, and a lung adapter operable to form a closed air system with the airway of the lung.
Claims Coverage
The document includes two independent claims covering both a system and a method. Across the independent claims, the core inventive features are a closed air system coupling between a lung airway and an exterior-to-interior channel through nested containers, with a pump for directing gas and a relief valve releasing gas during pumping.
Closed air system coupling via exterior-to-interior channel through nested containers
A lung adapter configured to be in fluid communication with the channel, the channel extending from an exterior of nested containers to an interior of the nested containers, and the lung adapter operable to form a closed air system with the airway of the lung.
Nested containers permitting gas passage only through the channel
The nested containers are configured to only allow gas to pass from the exterior of the nested containers to the interior of the nested containers through the channel (in the system) and gas can only pass from the exterior to the interior through the channel (in the method).
Pump directing gas into the lung airway with a relief valve releasing gas during pumping
A pump configured to direct gas through a channel into an airway of a lung, together with a relief valve configured to release gas from the channel while the pump is directing gas through the channel.
Claim coverage centers on a storage arrangement that couples a lung airway to a channel through a lung adapter to form a closed air system, uses nested containers that allow gas passage only through that channel, and includes a pump and relief valve for directing and releasing gas during pumping.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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