Organ perfusion device for monitoring, sustaining and/or restoring viability of organs and for the preserve of organs for storage and/or transport

Inventors

Wright, David Walter • Schein, Douglas • Brassil, John

Assignees

Organ Recovery Systems Inc

Abstract

An organ perfusion apparatus and method monitor, sustain and/or restore viability of organs and preserve organs for storage and/or transport. Other apparatus include an organ transporter, an organ cassette and an organ diagnostic device. The apparatus and methods include the organ cassette with one or more openings configured to allow tubing to pass through the openings and be connected to the organ or tissue within the cassette, and including a pressure control device to allow pressure inside the portable housing to be varied.

Core Innovation

The document describes an apparatus for holding an organ or tissue for at least one of perfusion, storage, diagnosis and transport, comprising a portable housing with more than one lid that forms a substantially airtight seal with the portable housing. The apparatus further includes an organ or tissue supporting surface configured to support the organ or tissue within the portable housing while allowing effluent medical fluid to pass through the organ or tissue. The portable housing is configured to be received by at least one of a perfusion device, a transporter and a diagnostic device, and includes one or more openings configured to allow tubing to pass through the openings and to be connected to the organ or tissue.

Each lid includes a pressure control valve that allows pressure inside the portable housing to be varied and restricts the rate at which external pressure changes are transmitted to the inside of the portable housing. Related embodiments include a closable vent that allows pressure inside the portable housing to be varied, together with a pressure control valve that is configured to restrict transmission of external pressure changes and to maintain the pressure inside the portable housing at a desired pressure. Other embodiments include at least two devices for varying and maintaining pressure, where one device is a pressure control valve and another device is a membrane.

The document further describes embodiments that include one or more membranes to allow pressure inside the portable housing to be varied and to be maintained at a desired pressure, and where each lid includes at least one of the membranes. In those embodiments, at least one membrane is substantially impermeable to at least liquid, and pores of the membrane are configured to prevent bacteria from entering the portable housing. The disclosed systems are designed to maintain internal pressure at a desired pressure while restricting external pressure transmission, and to enable use across perfusion, transporter and diagnostic device contexts.

Claims Coverage

The independent claims include five independent claim sets that share the core inventive concept of a portable, substantially airtight organ or tissue housing with lid-based pressure control that restricts transmission of external pressure changes and maintains a desired internal pressure for perfusion, storage, diagnosis, and transport. Across the independent claims, pressure control is implemented by lid-mounted pressure control valves and/or closable vents and/or membranes, including membrane properties such as restricting bacterial entry and liquid impermeability.

Across the independent claims, the coverage centers on a portable, substantially airtight organ or tissue housing with lid-based pressure control that restricts transmission of external pressure changes. The independent claims encompass pressure control via lid-mounted pressure control valves, and also via closable vents and/or membranes, including embodiments where at least two pressure-varying devices include a pressure control valve and a membrane, and embodiments where membranes in each lid vary and maintain pressure at a desired level.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications