Container For Cooling, Storage, And Shipping Of Human Organ For Transplant

Abstract

A system of containers having an organ holding container in a compartment, the compartment having its major interior walls being a heat transfer cup, the exterior of the heat transfer cup being another compartment for holding heat absorbing material (ice and water), the two compartments surrounded by a wall and lids of a heat insulating material.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a need for being able to transfer a kidney or other human organ from a human cadaver or donor to the recipiant which in some cases may be many miles away. If an organ which has been removed is not to be implanted for several hours, it is desirable that the organ be cooled and maintained at 32.degree. F, the transition temperature of ice to water. It is also desirable that the organ be kept sterile in a consistant "normal" saline solution which could vary if ice were used in the same container with the organ. It is desirable that an organ being removed from the donor, be placed in a sterile container, which in turn is placed in a sterile compartment; such that, when the organ container is removed from the compartment at the facility for implantation, the container is sterile and can be handled in the operating room without fear of contamination to the room and its contents.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a system of containers, the system having two sealable lids for two separate compartments, the outside walls of the system and two lids being made of a heat insulating material, the walls between the two compartments being made of a heat transferring material or, consisting of a heat transfer cup, the two compartments being sealed from each other. One compartment of the system is for holding a container which in turn holds an organ in a saline solution for cooling, storage, and/or shipping. The other compartment of the system is for ice and water for cooling the organ to 32.degree. F and maintaining it at that temperature until it is to be removed for implantation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The container system is cylindrical in shape, the lid for the ice chamber forming the base, and the lid for the organ chamber forming the top and handle. FIG. 1 is a cross section of the container system. FIG. II is a schematic representation of the container system showing a simulated sterile container surrounding the liner and interposed between it and the heat-transferring member. FIG. III is a schematic representation of the container system showing a simulated heat transfer media between the heat transfer cup and the liner.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The organ container system consists of basically two compartments. The upper or organ compartment houses the organ container which is formed as a liner that has a lid 1 which snaps on a cup 2. The lid 1 and cup 2 are standard plastic molded items made of polypropylene or another material which is inert to human tissue. The human organ 3 or any other animal tissue being stored is kept submerged in a "normal" saline solution 4. The cup 2 and lid 1 are kept sterile within the pre-sterilized organ compartment which is sealed from the outside atmosphere by an O-ring 5. The organ lid 6 is attached to the container base 7 by threads 8. The cup 2 and lid 1 may be kept sterile without sterilization of the organ chamber by sealing them in a sterile container 19 such as a plastic or film bag before placing them in the organ compartment.

The ice 9 and water 10 compartment is separated from the organ compartment by a heat transfer cup 11 made of a heat conducting material such as aluminum. The container base 7 is molded about, bonded to, and supports the heat transfer cup 11. The heat transfer cup 11 has an integral inverted cup 12 such that ice 9 floating on the water 10 is kept against the heat transfer wall or cup 11 bottom. The ice 9 and water 10 compartment is sealed from the outside atmosphere by an O-ring 13 and is accessible by removal of a lid 14 which is held in place by threads 15.

The lids 6 and 14 and base section 7 are made of polyurethane or another heat insulating material with similar properties. The ice and water compartment lid 14 has integrally molded feet 16 consisting of a circular ring which provides additional insulation in that it creates an air pocket between itself and the floor it is set on. The organ compartment lid 6 has an integrally molded handle 17 for carrying the system and also has feet 18 to support the system when inverted for access to the ice 9 and water 10 chamber by removal of lid 14.

To improve heat flow between the organ and the coolent a heat transfer fluid 20 such as water may be incorporated between the heat transfer cup 11 and the organ container 2.

Claims

I claim:

1. A method of holding and preserving an animal organ for sustaining its life and for transporting said organ, having said organ in a normal saline solution, said solution being kept sterile within a sealed and removable organ and saline holding compartment, said sealed compartment having common heat conducting walls to a heat controlling media containing compartment, said heat controlling media being a solution of ice and water to control the temperature of the saline to its temperature by heat transfer to and from the saline, said heat controlling media containing compartment having a lid opening for access to service the media, and said removable organ and saline holding compartment having a lid opening for access to service the saline and to place in and remove said organ.

2. Container according to claim 1 with the addition of a sterile container surrounding the removable organ and saline holding compartment and interposed between it and the heat controlling media, said sterile container for keeping the exterior walls of the removable organ and saline holding compartment sterile.

3. A controlled temperature container comprising of a housing divided into two compartments separated by a heat-transferring cup-like member, one of said compartments being adapted to hold an animal organ and the other of said compartments adapted to hold a heat absorbing material, said cup being lined with a removable liner material inert to animal tissue and having an additional sterile container surrounding the liner and interposed between it and the cup, having a pair of detachable lids, a first lid on said housing for opening and closing access to one of said compartments and a second lid of said housing for opening and closing access to said other compartment.

4. A controlled temperature container comprising of a housing divided into two compartments separated by a heat-transferring cup-like member, one of said compartments being adapted to hold an animal organ and the other of said compartments adapted to hold a heat absorbing material, having a pair of detachable lids, a first lid on said housing for opening and closing access to one of said compartments and a second lid of said housing for opening and closing access to said other compartment, said lids having feet on their exterior enabling the standing of the container on either end, and in which the feet of at least one of said lids are formed as a handle for carrying the container.

5. Container according to claim 4 with the addition of threads on the container base and lids, for holding the lids on and in place.

6. A controlled temperature container comprising of a housing divided into two compartments separated by a heat-transferring cup-like member, one of said compartments being adapted to hold an animal organ and the other of said compartments adapted to hold a heat absorbing material, said cup being lined with a removable liner material inert to animal tissue, having a fluid such as water between the heat transfer cup and the liner to improve the heat flow from the organ to the heat absorbing material, having a pair of detachable lids, a first lid on said housing for opening and closing access to one of said compartments and a second lid of said housing for opening and closing access to said other compartment.

7. A controlled temperature container comprising of two compartments separated by a heat-transferring member, one of said compartments being adapted to hold an animal organ and the other of said compartment adapted to hold a heat absorbing material, said animal organ holding compartment being lined with a removable liner material inert to animal tissue, and having an additional sterile container surrounding the liner and interposed between it and the heat-transferring member.