Systems and methods herein generally relate to prolonging viability of bodily tissue, especially an organ, 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. The systems and methods herein can include an electronic pump that pumps gas into an organ and a mechanical pressure regulator to release gas based on organ pressure.

Systems and methods herein generally relate to prolonging viability of bodily tissue, especially an organ, 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. The systems and methods herein can include an electronic pump that pumps gas into an organ and a mechanical pressure regulator to release gas based on organ pressure.

A portable cooler container system is described. The cooler container system includes a container body having a payload chamber and a temperature control system including a thermoelectric element, a hot side heat sink a cold side heat sink and a pump. The portable cooler container system further includes a conduit in thermal communication with a thermal mass, sensors, power storage elements and circuitry to control operation of the temperature control system.

A portable housing for holding an organ or tissue for at least one of perfusion, storage, diagnosis, and transport of the organ or tissue includes a main chamber within which the organ or tissue and a liquid perfusate for the organ or tissue may be located, and it also includes a secondary chamber that is within the main chamber and that is for holding the liquid perfusate. A volume of the secondary chamber is less than a volume of the main chamber, and a top of the secondary chamber is below a top of the main chamber.

A portable housing for holding an organ or tissue for at least one of perfusion, storage, diagnosis, and transport of the organ or tissue includes a main chamber within which the organ or tissue and a liquid perfusate for the organ or tissue may be located, and it also includes a secondary chamber that is within the main chamber and that is for holding the liquid perfusate. A volume of the secondary chamber is less than a volume of the main chamber, and a top of the secondary chamber is below a top of the main chamber.

The disclosure provides, in various embodiments, systems, devices and methods relating to ex-vivo organ care. In certain embodiments, the disclosure relates to maintaining an organ ex-vivo at near-physiologic conditions. The present application describes, for example, a method for using lactate measurement in the arterial and the venous blood lines of the Organ Care System Heart perfusion device to evaluate, for example, the: 1) overall perfusion status of an isolated heart; 2) metabolic status of an isolated heart; and 3) overall vascular patency of an isolated donor heart. This aspect of the present disclosure may use, for example, the property of myocardial cell's unique ability to produce/generate lactate when they are starved for oxygen and metabolize/utilize lactate for energy production when they are well perfused with oxygen.

The disclosure provides, in various embodiments, systems, devices and methods relating to ex-vivo organ care. In certain embodiments, the disclosure relates to maintaining an organ ex-vivo at near-physiologic conditions. The present application describes, for example, a method for using lactate measurement in the arterial and the venous blood lines of the Organ Care System Heart perfusion device to evaluate, for example, the: 1) overall perfusion status of an isolated heart; 2) metabolic status of an isolated heart; and 3) overall vascular patency of an isolated donor heart. This aspect of the present disclosure may use, for example, the property of myocardial cell's unique ability to produce/generate lactate when they are starved for oxygen and metabolize/utilize lactate for energy production when they are well perfused with oxygen.

A Windkessel simulation apparatus includes a flexible fluid container that cyclically fills with a perfusate fluid, such as blood, and helps deliver the perfusate fluid to a heart, by means of an elastic reactive squeezing mechanism that applies compressive force proportional to the pressure in the flexible fluid container. The apparatus acts as a hydraulic capacitor, similarly to how arteries act in the body-inflating during systole, and squeezing during diastole. In this way, the apparatus may help simulate a natural circulatory system for an organ, such as an ex vivo heart.

An apparatus includes a flexible container and a port. The container includes a first layer coupled to a second layer to define a storage volume within which a tissue specimen can be contained. The first layer has a first stiffness and the second layer has a second stiffness. An edge of the first layer is spaced apart from an edge of the second layer to define an opening into the storage volume. The edges of the first and second layer form a peelable seal that hermetically seals the storage volume such that the first layer can be peeled away from the second layer to expose the storage volume. The port is coupled to the flexible container and allows fluid communication between the storage volume and an external volume.

An apparatus includes a flexible container and a port. The container includes a first layer coupled to a second layer to define a storage volume within which a tissue specimen can be contained. The first layer has a first stiffness and the second layer has a second stiffness. An edge of the first layer is spaced apart from an edge of the second layer to define an opening into the storage volume. The edges of the first and second layer form a peelable seal that hermetically seals the storage volume such that the first layer can be peeled away from the second layer to expose the storage volume. The port is coupled to the flexible container and allows fluid communication between the storage volume and an external volume.