# US 2021/0329909 A1 · Organ support and temperature control device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0329909 A1 - Document ID: US20210329909A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/236,613 - Filed: 2021-04-21 - Published: 2021-10-28 - Earliest claimed: 2020-04-22 - Inventors: THOMAS ANDREW ALEXANDER SKINNER; Ali Dergham; Luke Witherspoon - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210329909A1 ## CPC - A01N 1/142: Apparatus - A01N 1/162: Temperature processes, e.g. following predefined temperature changes over time - A01N 1/144: for temperature control, e.g. refrigerators or freeze-drying apparatus - A61B 17/02: for holding wounds open, e.g. retractors; Tractors - A61F 7/00: Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body (hyperthermia using electric or magnetic fields or ultrasound A61N) - A61B 17/0293: {with ring member to support retractor elements} - A61B 2017/00084: {Temperature} - A61B 2017/00862: {elastic or resilient} - A61F 2007/0022: {Abdomen} - A61F 2007/0054: {with a closed fluid circuit, e.g. hot water} - A61F 2007/0056: {for cooling} - A61F 2007/0057: {of gas, e.g. air or carbon dioxide} - A61F 2007/0086: {with a thermostat} - A61F 2007/0096: {with a thermometer} - A61F 2007/0288: {during operations} - A61F 2007/101: {for cooling organs in the body before or during surgery} - A01N: PRESERVATION OF BODIES OF HUMANS OR ANIMALS OR PLANTS OR PARTS THEREOF (preservation of food or foodstuff A23); BIOCIDES, e.g. AS DISINFECTANTS, AS PESTICIDES OR AS HERBICIDES (preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes which kill or prevent the growth or proliferation of unwanted organisms A61K); PEST REPELLANTS OR ATTRACTANTS; PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) ## Abstract The present disclosure provides an organ supporting device and a manufacturing system thereof. The organ supporting device includes a tube with a one or more bends to create two supporting regions for an organ. The supporting regions are connected via a connecting region. The tube is supplied with temperature control material, such as a cooling fluid, by a circulation component. The temperature of the organ and fluid are sensed by one or more sensors and the sensed temperatures are provided to a temperature control unit to increase or decrease the temperature of the temperature control material to maintain a temperature of an organ for in-vivo or ex-vivo surgical procedures. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An organ supporting apparatus comprising: a tube comprising a first supporting region, a second supporting region separated from the first supporting region in a first direction, and a connecting region connecting the first region and the second region; a first plurality of bends in the first supporting region of the tube, wherein the first plurality of bends are separated from each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a second plurality of bends in the second supporting region tube, wherein the second plurality of bends are separated from each other in the second direction; and a circulation component configured to convey a temperature control material through the tube, wherein the temperature control material comprises a liquid or a gas. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the first supporting region and the second supporting region are configured to support an organ between the first supporting region and the second supporting region when the first supporting region and the second supporting region are pressed together in the first direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: The circulation component comprises an elevated reservoir for the temperature control material, wherein the temperature control material is drawn through the tube by gravity. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the circulation component comprises a pump. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a handle region of the tube configured to support a weight of the first supporting region and the second supporting region and to convey a force pressing the first supporting region and the second supporting region together in the first direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the tube is formed from a material having a Young's modulus greater than 10 GPa. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the tube is formed from a material with a thermal conductivity of greater than 0.1 W/mK. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the tube is configured to hold an organ without additional supporting material. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the organ supporting apparatus is configured to provide visibility between the first plurality of bends to an organ being supported by the organ supporting apparatus. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a temperature control unit configured to control a temperature of an organ by cooling or heating the temperature control material, or by controlling a flow rate of the temperature control material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the temperature control material, a temperature of an organ, or both. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a surgical retraction device configured to retract, advance or manipulate the organ supporting apparatus within a surgical area. ### Claim 13 A method comprising: supporting an organ using an organ supporting apparatus comprising a tube with a first supporting region, a second supporting region separated from the first supporting region in a first direction, and a connecting region connecting the first region and the second region, wherein the tube comprises a first plurality of bends in the first supporting region of the tube, wherein the first plurality of bends are separated from each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and wherein the tube comprises a second plurality of bends in the second supporting region tube, wherein the second plurality of bends are separated from each other in the first direction; and controlling a temperature of the organ by conveying a temperature control material through the tube. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: sensing the temperature of the organ; and adjusting a flow of the temperature control material based on the temperature. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: heating the temperature control material, wherein controlling the temperature of the organ comprises increasing the temperature of the organ. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: cooling the temperature control material, wherein controlling the temperature of the organ comprises decreasing the temperature of the organ. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: manipulating an organ being supported by the organ supporting apparatus using a surgical retraction device. ### Claim 18 A method of producing an organ supporting apparatus, the method comprising: providing a tube comprising a first supporting region, a second supporting region, and a connecting region; separating the first supporting region from the second supporting region in a first direction by bending the tube; forming a first plurality of bends in the first supporting region of the tube, wherein the first plurality of bends are separated from each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and forming a second plurality of bends in the second supporting region tube, wherein the second plurality of bends are separated from each other in the first direction. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising: providing a circulation component configured to convey a temperature control material through the tube, wherein the temperature control material comprises a liquid or a gas. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising: providing a temperature control unit configured to control a temperature of an organ by cooling or heating a temperature control material, or by controlling a flow rate of the temperature control material.