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.

An apparatus for cleaning transplant organs comprising an organ perfusion circuit and perfusion solution filtration circuit that removes virus and bacteria. The perfusion pump circuit has a cassette for containing perfusion fluid and an organ and a perfusion pump to circulate perfusion fluid in and out of the cassette. A perfusion solution filtering device has a filter and a pump coupled to the cassette to pump perfusion fluid out of the cassette, through the filter, and back into the cassette.

Disclosed is a device and a method for storing and transporting at least one human or animal tissue with a view to transplantation or ex vivo experimentation. The device can store such tissue in a specific storage medium until the transplantation or the ex vivo experimentation, and in particular to storing a sample of human or animal cornea, such as a corneal graft. This device for storing at least one human or animal tissue comprises at least one chamber which is suitable for receiving and storing the tissue in a liquid storage medium and which comprises means for continuous renewal of the medium in said at least one chamber. The device additionally comprises means for adjusting at least one physicochemical parameter of said medium, including its pH, by continuous circulation of a buffer gas in said at least one chamber outside of and in contact with said medium.

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.

A body tissue preservation system (300) for storage and preservation of body tissue (114), the system comprising: abase unit (200) having a reader (240) configured to obtain data from a machine-readable marker; a container unit (100) that is arranged to receive the body tissue, comprises a machine-readable marker (140) (e.g. QR code, bar code, RFID) and is configured as an insert for the base unit; and a controller configured to control at least one operational parameter of the storage and/or preservation of the body tissue based on the obtained data. The body tissue preservation system is configured to perfuse or persufflate the body tissue in the container unit. The reader may be operable to modify the machine-readable marker. The reader may be configured to perform an authentication process with the marker. A body tissue preservation system configured to perform a digital handshake is also provided, the system comprising a base unit having a first communications interface and a container unit comprising a second communications interface.

A perfusion manifold assembly is described that allows for perfusion of a microfluidic device, such as an organ on a chip microfluidic device comprising cells that mimic cells in an organ in the body, that is detachably linked with said assembly so that fluid enters ports of the microfluidic device from a fluid reservoir, optionally without tubing, at a controllable flow rate. A culture module is contemplated that allows the perfusion and optionally mechanical actuation of one or more microfluidic devices, such as organ-on-a-chip microfluidic devices comprising cells that mimic at least one function of an organ in the body.

A test bench assembly (10) for the simulation of cardiac surgery and/or interventional cardiology operations and/or procedures, comprising a passive heart (12), wherein said passive heart (12) is an explanted or artificial or hybrid heart, said passive heart (12) having at least one pair of cardiac chambers (14, 16; 114, 116) comprising an atrial chamber (14; 114) and a ventricular chamber (16; 116); a reservoir (20), adapted to house the working fluid; a pressure generator (22), adapted to provide said passive heart (12) pumping said working fluid with the pumping function, said pressure generator (22) being fluidically connected both to said ventricular chamber (16) of said passive heart (12) and to said reservoir (20) by means of first fluid connection means; a pressure regulation device (24) which provides the working fluid in input to the atrial chamber (14) with the preload pressure, and the working fluid in output from the ventricular chamber (16) with the afterload pressure, said pressure regulation device (24) being fluidically connected both to said atrial chamber (14) of said passive heart (12) and to said ventricular chamber (16) of said passive heart (12) by means of second fluid connection means; wherein said pressure regulation device (24) comprises a single compliant element (26) for each pair of cardiac chambers (14, 16) which provides the working fluid with both the preload and the afterload pressures.

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.

An apparatus for storing an organ or body tissue is disclosed, comprising: a container unit comprising a container body defining a storage region, wherein the container body includes an opening to enable the organ or body tissue to be admitted to, and removed from, the storage region; and a surgical drape (802) comprising: a securing portion (804) which is securable to the container unit, a peripheral outer portion (808) which surrounds the securing portion, and a frangible portion (810) separating the securing portion from the peripheral outer portion; wherein the securing portion is securable to the container body to enable the drape to extend around a portion of the periphery of the opening with the peripheral outer portion of the drape arranged outward of the opening; and wherein the frangible portion extends around the securing portion to enable the peripheral outer portion to be separated from the securing portion by tearing the frangible portion.

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.