System and Method for Organ Maintenance and Transport

A method for enabling sustained normothermic perfusion of a kidney, the kidney including a ureter and a renal artery, the kidney being housed in a tank, the kidney being transported from a donor to a recipient, the method comprising:

• pumping perfusate into the renal artery, the kidney surrounded by a solution bath filling a tank monitoring perfusate characteristics of the perfusate while the kidney is being transported;
• and
• adjusting, based on the monitoring, the perfusate characteristics while the kidney is being transported.

A system for enabling sustained normothermic or subnormothermic perfusion of an organ with perfusate, the system comprising:

• a disposable portion, the disposable portion including disposable components and tubing coupling the disposable components together to form a circulation loop, the circulation loop enabling circulation of the perfusate through the organ;
• and
• a durable portion, the durable portion including a pneumatic system driving the circulation of the perfusate, a thermal energy source supplying thermal energy to the perfusate to maintain the circulating perfusate at normothermic or subnormothermic temperatures, and a control system controlling the pneumatic system and the thermal energy source.

The system as in claim 46 wherein the disposable portion comprises:

• a heat exchanger transferring heat from the thermal energy source to the perfusate.

The system as in claim 47 wherein the heat exchanger comprises:

• a plate having a first side etched with a fluid path and a second opposing side, the second opposing side positioned against a tissue enclosure, the tissue enclosure housing the organ;
• and
• a thermally-conductive membrane having a first membrane side covering the first side, the thermally-conductive membrane having a second opposing membrane side positioned against the thermal energy source.

The system as in claim 46 wherein the disposable portion comprises:

• an oxygenator providing oxygen to the perfusate.

The system as in claim 46 wherein the disposable portion comprises:

• at least one pump pumping the perfusate through the organ, the pneumatic system driving the at least one pump.