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

US8445260B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• LIFELINE SCIENTIFIC, INC. · US

Inventors

• Donald R. Owen · New Orleans, US
• David Kravitz · Chicago, US
• John Brassil · Northbrook, US
• Kelvin G. M. Brockbank · Charleston, US
• Andrew Burroughs · Kenosha, US
• Douglas Schein · Des Plaines, US
• Stanley Harris · Fairfax, US
• Dennis Steibel, JR. · Lake Zurich, US
• Richard Fraser · Bartlett, US
• Dickon Isaacs · Chicago, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 10, 2011
• Grant date: May 21, 2013
• Expiry date: Aug 10, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04L67/02
• WIPO field: Basic materials chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

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. In perfusion, organ perfusion pressure is preferably controlled in response to a sensor disposed in an end of tubing placed in the organ, by a pneumatically pressurized medical fluid reservoir, providing perfusion pressure fine tuning, overpressurization prevention and emergency flow cut-off. In the hypothermic mode, the organ is perfused with a medical fluid, preferably a simple crystalloid solution containing antioxidants, intermittently or in slow continuous flow. The medical fluid may be fed into the organ from an intermediary tank having a low pressure head to avoid organ overpressurization. Viability of the organ may be automatically monitored, preferably by monitoring characteristics of the medical fluid perfusate. The perfusion process can be automatically controlled using a control program.