Apparatus and method for maintaining and/or restoring viability of organs

Inventors

Taylor, Michael • 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 method includes perfusing the organ at hypothermic and/or normothermic temperatures. The methods further include perfusing the organ at hypothermic and/or normothermic temperatures with a second perfusate containing a substance for reacting with the organ. Condition of the organ may be automatically monitored, and the perfusion process can be automatically controlled using a control program.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to a method for perfusing an organ in a portable housing while the organ is maintained at hypothermic temperature. The organ is placed on an organ supporting surface within the portable housing such that the organ is capable of being in fluid contact with a first medical fluid and/or a second medical fluid. The organ is perfused with the first medical fluid through at least one blood vessel of the organ.

An enzyme is added to the second medical fluid, and the organ is perfused with the second medical fluid through at least one blood vessel of the organ and at least one non-blood vessel duct of the organ. Substantially all of the first medical fluid is removed from the portable housing before perfusing the organ with the second medical fluid containing the enzyme. The organ is perfused with the first medical fluid and the second medical fluid without removal of the organ from the portable housing.

The system and associated processing maintain organ viability during hypothermic and/or normothermic perfusion using microprocessor controlled perfusion with regulated pressure and temperature. Viability monitoring is supported by sensors providing measurements including vascular resistance, pH, pO2/pCO2, lactate, glucose, LDH, and ionized calcium, which are used to generate an organ viability index. The arrangement includes oxygenation versus non-oxygenation of perfusates, modules for bubble removal and filtration/oxygenation, and safety fail-safe flow cut-offs to prevent overpressurization, together with an organ cassette and an organ transporter for maintaining the organ in sterile conditions.

Claims Coverage

The partial content provides one independent claim. The inventive features include five elements: a portable housing with an organ supporting surface, sequential perfusion with a first medical fluid followed by an enzyme-containing second medical fluid while the organ remains in the portable housing, perfusion pathways including at least one blood vessel and at least one non-blood vessel duct for the second fluid, removal of substantially all of the first medical fluid from the portable housing prior to enzyme perfusion, and hypothermic temperature maintenance.

The coverage centers on sequential perfusion in a portable housing where an organ is first perfused with a first medical fluid through blood vessels, then perfused with an enzyme-containing second medical fluid through blood vessels and a non-blood vessel duct, with substantially all of the first fluid removed from the portable housing before switching and the organ maintained at hypothermic temperature.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications