An apparatus, a system, and methods for receiving, perfusing and maintaining and assessing excised donor heart physiological functionality. The system generally comprises an apparatus for receiving and holding an excised heart that is interconnected with: (i) a perfusate-processing system, (ii) a bi-directional perfusate pumping system, (iii) flow sensors for monitoring the flow of perfusate to and from an installed heart's aorta, pulmonary artery, pulmonary vein, and vena cava, (iv) an ECG apparatus interconnectable with the installed heart, and (v) probes interconnecting the installed heart with instruments for monitoring the heart's physiogical functionality using load independent indices and load dependent indices.

A system for the hypothermic transport of biological samples, such as tissues, organs, or body fluids. The system includes an antimicrobial treatment mechanism to inactivate microbes flushed from the biological sample by preservation fluid flowed therethrough. The self-purging preservation apparatus is placed in an insulated transport container having a cooling medium. When assembled, the system allows for transport of biological samples for extended periods of time at a stable temperature while simultaneously treating microbial infections to prevent transmission between a donor and a recipient.

The present disclosure includes a system to preserve tissue and associated methods. The system can include a portable oxygen source to provide oxygen and apply a pressure gradient to a flow of the oxygen, an organ preservation system having an inlet to fluidly couple to vasculature of the tissue, and an oxygen line to fluidly couple the portable oxygen source to the organ preservation system at the inlet, wherein the portable oxygen source is to apply the pressure gradient to pump fluid containing the oxygen through the organ preservation system.

There is provided a technique of, when an organ is preserved outside a body while being perfused with a liquid, ensuring the flow rate of the liquid flowing in the organ while suppressing a rise in pressure in the liquid. An organ preservation system includes an organ container, an organ holder, a liquid supply tube, a drainage tube, and an atmospheric pressure regulator. The organ container is capable of having therein an organ preservation space that is a confined space. The organ holder holds the organ in the organ preservation space. The liquid supply tube supplies a liquid to the organ held by the organ holder. The drainage tube discharges a liquid from the organ held by the organ holder. The atmospheric pressure regulator regulates atmospheric pressure in the organ preservation space. By regulating atmospheric pressure in the organ preservation space, it is possible to adjust a pressure in the liquid flowing in the organ. Accordingly, it is possible to ensure the flow rate of the liquid flowing in the organ while suppressing a rise in pressure in the liquid.

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.

Systems and methods of the invention generally relate to prolonging viability of bodily tissue, especially lung tissue, through the use of an expandable accumulator to maintain a constant pressure within the lumen of the organ even during external pressure fluctuations due to, for example, flight. Systems and methods may include prolonging donor organ viability in storage through the use of an organ container that mimics the geometry and orientation of the organ in vivo.

In a method of ventilating excised lungs, a ventilation gas is supplied to an airway of a lung and a vacuum is formed around the lung. A quality of the vacuum is varied between a lower level and a higher level to cause the lung to breathe, while the pressure of the ventilation gas supplied to the airway is regulated to maintain a positive airway pressure in the airway of the lung. The vacuum may be cyclically varied between the two vacuum levels. The levels may be maintained substantially constant over a period of time, or one or both of the lower and higher levels may be adjusted during ventilation. The lung may be placed in a sealed chamber, and a vacuum is formed in the chamber around the lung.

A perfusion bioreactor and a perfusion device. Each perfusion device has a mesh structure, and an encapsulated organ tissue (EOT) disposed in the mesh structure. The EOT has a body with a thickness defined between a first surface of the body and a second surface of the body. The body has at least one channel extending into the body from one of the first and second surfaces to receive a fluid therein. The at least one channel has a diameter selected to diffuse solutes out of the fluid and into the body. The perfusion devices are arranged one adjacent to another and spaced apart from each other along the length of the bioreactor to receive fluid, and to perfuse the fluid to the EOT of each perfusion device and to the at least one channel therein. A method of processing blood plasma and an artificial liver system are also disclosed.

The present invention relates to a perfusion loop assembly for an ex vivo liver perfusion including: a pump for providing a fluid flow of a perfusion fluid through a first branch line and a second branch line; the first branch line being configured to provide a first portion of the perfusion fluid to the hepatic artery of the liver; the first branch line being coupled with a first gas exchanger, the second branch line being configured to provide a second portion of the perfusion fluid to the portal vein of the liver; the second branch line further including a first valve for controlling the flow of the perfusion fluid into the portal vein of the liver, a liver chamber assembly configured to hold the liver ex vivo, a liver outlet line attached to the vena cava of the ex vivo liver, at least one reservoir connected to the liver outlet and upstream from the pump.

A repaired ex vivo organ suitable for transplantation in a human, said repaired ex vivo organ having undergone ex vivo organ perfusion for a maintenance period, wherein said organ had been assessed as being unsuitable for transplantation into a human before the maintenance period and was determined to be suitable for transplantation after the maintenance period.