Organ cooler and organ cooling method

Abstract

To provide an organ cooler and an organ cooling method capable of suppressing corruption of an organ, by cooling the organ in a corpse.SOLUTION: An organ cooler 1 has a flow path section 2 that is arranged on a corpse H, a refrigerant supply device 3 that supplies refrigerant C into the flow path section 2, and a blood circulation device 4 that circulates the blood of the corpse H. The blood that circulates inside the corpse H by the blood circulation device 4 is cooled by the refrigerant C supplied into the flow path section 2 from the refrigerant supply device 3, thereby cooling the organs inside the corpse H through the blood.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an organ cooling device and a method for cooling an organ. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, the preservation method of Patent Document 1 can be used as a method for preserving an organ extracted from the corpse of an organ donor for transplantation into an organ transplant applicant (recipient). In the preservation method of Patent Document 1, the organ is cooled and preserved in a preservation solution at 4°C to 20°C, and further, the organ is perfused with the cooling solution to preserve the organ. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 08-247505 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The preservation method of Patent Document 1 can preserve organs extracted from a corpse, but cannot preserve organs before they are extracted from the corpse. The extraction of organs from a corpse is performed by a doctor with specialized knowledge and skills. Therefore, if there is no doctor at the scene when the death of an organ donor is confirmed, the organs cannot be extracted from the corpse until the doctor arrives. Even if there is a doctor at the scene, if the environment for organ extraction (operating room, assistant, etc.) is not prepared, the organs cannot be extracted from the corpse until the environment is prepared. Thus, depending on the place of death of the organ donor, the presence or absence of a doctor, etc., it may take a long time from the confirmation of the death of the organ donor to the extraction of the organs. Such cases are particularly likely to occur in the case of sudden death, accidental death, and other sudden deaths.

[0005] If a long time passes between the confirmation of the death of an organ donor and the removal of the organs, the heat emitted by the corpse during that time will cause the organs left in the body to decay rapidly. As a result, by the time the organs are removed, they may have deteriorated to the point where they cannot be transplanted, and they may no longer be able to be donated to transplant applicants.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned points, and has as its object to provide an organ cooling device and an organ cooling method that can cool the organ inside the body of an organ donor from the time the death of the organ donor is confirmed until the organ is removed, thereby preventing the organ from decaying. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] Such an object can be achieved by the present invention described below.

[0008] (1) a flow passage portion disposed on a corpse; a coolant supply device for supplying a coolant into the flow path; a blood circulation device for circulating the blood of the corpse, An organ cooling device characterized in that the blood circulated within the corpse by the blood circulation device is cooled by the refrigerant supplied from the refrigerant supply device into the flow path portion, thereby cooling the organs within the corpse via the blood.

[0009] (2) The organ cooling device according to (1) above, wherein the flow path portion is flexible and can be wrapped around the corpse.

[0010] (3) The organ cooling apparatus according to (1) above, wherein the blood circulating device is a cardiac massage machine.

[0011] (4) The organ cooling device according to (1) above, wherein the flow path portion is wrapped around the front neck of the corpse.

[0012] (5) The organ cooling device according to (1) above, wherein the flow path portion is wrapped around the armpit of the corpse.

[0013] (6) The organ cooling device according to (1) above, wherein the flow path portion is wrapped around the groin area of ​​the corpse.

[0014] (7) The organ cooling apparatus according to (1) above, wherein the refrigerant supplying device circulates the refrigerant within the flow path portion.

[0015] (8) The refrigerant is an ice slurry; The organ cooling apparatus according to (7) above, wherein the refrigerant supplying device has a storage section for storing the ice slurry, and a pump for supplying the ice slurry stored in the storage section to the flow path section.

[0016] (9) The organ cooling apparatus according to (8) above, wherein the melting point of the ice slurry is not less than -25°C and not more than 0°C.

[0017] (10) a flow path portion placement step of placing a flow path portion on a corpse; a coolant supply step of supplying a coolant into the flow path portion; and a blood circulating step of circulating the blood of the corpse, A method for cooling an organ, comprising cooling the blood circulating within the corpse with the refrigerant supplied into the flow path, thereby cooling an organ within the corpse via the blood. Effect of the Invention

[0018] The organ cooling device of the present invention has a flow path section that is placed on the corpse, a refrigerant supply device that supplies refrigerant into the flow path section, and a blood circulation device that circulates the blood of the corpse, and cools the organs within the corpse via the blood by cooling the blood circulating within the corpse by the blood circulation device with the refrigerant supplied from the refrigerant supply device into the flow path section.

[0019] In this way, by forcibly circulating blood within the corpse and cooling the organs within the corpse via the blood, the organs can be efficiently cooled from within the body. Therefore, the organs can be cooled to a desired temperature in a shorter time and the cooled state can be stably maintained. As a result, putrefaction of the organs can be suppressed and the organs can be appropriately preserved until they are harvested.

[0020] Furthermore, the organ cooling device of the present invention can be used without the need for medical procedures that are permitted only for certain persons such as doctors and nurses, and therefore has few restrictions on use, making it highly convenient. In addition, the device is small, making it easy to carry and store.

[0021] The organ cooling method of the present invention includes a flow path section arrangement step of arranging a flow path section on a corpse, a refrigerant supply step of supplying a refrigerant into the flow path section, and a blood circulation step of circulating the blood of the corpse, and by cooling the blood circulating within the corpse with the refrigerant supplied into the flow path section, the organs within the corpse are cooled via the blood.

[0022] In this way, by forcibly circulating blood within the corpse and cooling the organs within the corpse via the blood, the organs can be efficiently cooled from within the body. Therefore, the organs can be cooled to a desired temperature in a shorter time and the cooled state can be stably maintained. As a result, putrefaction of the organs can be suppressed and the organs can be appropriately preserved until they are harvested.

[0023] Furthermore, the organ cooling method of the present invention can be used without medical procedures that are only permitted for certain persons such as doctors and nurses, and therefore has few restrictions on use and is highly convenient. Also, the method can be realized using a small device, and since the device is portable, it can be used anywhere. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an overall view showing an organ cooling device according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a blood circulating device of the organ cooling device shown in FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a refrigerant supplying device of the organ cooling device shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which a flow path portion of the organ cooling device shown in FIG. 1 is wrapped around a corpse. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a flow path portion. [Figure 6] 13 is a diagram showing a state in which a predetermined portion of the flow path portion is covered with a heat insulating material. FIG. [Figure 7] 1 is a flowchart showing the steps of a method for cooling an organ. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a state in which a flow path portion of the organ cooling device according to the second embodiment is wrapped around a corpse. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the flow path portion is wrapped around the neck. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is an overall view showing an organ cooling device according to a third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An organ cooling apparatus and an organ cooling method according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0026] First Embodiment 1 comprises a flow path section 2 that is placed on a corpse H, particularly on the corpse H of a person who has expressed the intention to donate an organ, a refrigerant supplying device 3 that supplies a refrigerant C into the flow path section 2, and a blood circulating device 4 that circulates the blood of the corpse H. In the organ cooling device 1 configured as above, the blood in the corpse H is circulated by the operation of the blood circulating device 4, and further, the blood circulating in the corpse H is cooled by the refrigerant C supplied from the refrigerant supplying device 3 into the flow path section 2, thereby cooling the organs in the corpse H via the blood.

[0027] In this way, by forcibly circulating the blood of the corpse H using the blood circulation device 4 and cooling the organs in the corpse H via the blood, the organs can be cooled from within the body, not from the surface of the body. This allows the organs to be cooled efficiently. Therefore, the organs can be cooled to a desired temperature in a shorter time, and the temperature of the organs can be kept stable until the organs are removed. As a result, putrefaction of the organs can be suppressed and they can be appropriately preserved in a fresh state until they are removed from the corpse H.

[0028] Furthermore, the organ cooling device 1 can be attached to the corpse H and used without the need for medical procedures that are permitted only by certain individuals such as doctors and nurses. Therefore, it can be used even if a doctor, nurse, etc. is not present at the time of the death of the organ donor. Therefore, it can be started to be used immediately in the case of sudden death in a situation where a doctor or nurse is not present, such as sudden death or accidental death.

[0029] For example, an example of a traffic accident death will be described. In Japan at the time of filing, emergency personnel cannot, in principle, determine the death of a victim at the scene of an accident, but if the situation becomes such that the death determination can be made in the future, the organ cooling device 1 can be loaded onto an ambulance heading to the scene of the accident. In this case, after the emergency personnel confirm the death of the victim at the scene of the accident, if the victim is an organ donor, they can immediately start using the organ cooling device 1 on the spot. This shortens the time required from the death of the organ donor to the start of organ cooling, and accordingly, putrefaction of the organ can be effectively suppressed.

[0030] In addition, in some foreign countries other than Japan, emergency medical personnel or equivalent personnel are already able to determine death at the scene of an accident, and in such countries the above-mentioned use example can be implemented immediately.

[0031] -Blood circulation device 4- The blood circulation device 4 is an automatic cardiac massage machine that automatically performs cardiac massage (chest compression) of the corpse H. In this way, by using an automatic cardiac massage machine as the blood circulation device 4, blood can be circulated in the corpse H more reliably.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 2, the blood circulation device 4 has an arch portion 41, a pair of vertical rods 42, and a back plate 43. The back plate 43 is a plate that supports the lower side of the chest of the corpse H. A pair of vertical rods 42 are detachably connected to both left and right ends of the back plate 43. The back plate 43 has a belt loop hole (not shown). For example, when the corpse H is placed on a stretcher and transported, the belt of the stretcher can be inserted through the belt loop hole to fix the blood circulation device 4 to the stretcher. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the blood circulation device 4 from coming off or shifting from the corpse H during transportation.

[0033] The arch portion 41 forms an arch shape between the back plate 43 and the chest of the corpse H, and is disposed across the upper side of the chest of the corpse H. The arch portion 41 is connected to the vertical rod 42 at the connection portions 411 located at both the left and right ends. The connection portions 411 are ratchets, and the arch portion 41 can be raised and lowered relative to the vertical rod 42. The central portion of the arch portion 41 is provided with an impact hammer 44 protruding downward and an elevation mechanism 45 for reciprocating the impact hammer 44 up and down. The impact hammer 44 is the part that is applied to the chest of the corpse H during cardiac massage (chest compression).

[0034] The blood circulation device 4 as described above is used, for example, as follows. First, the back plate 43 is fixed to the stretcher using the stretcher belt. Next, the corpse H is placed on the back plate 43 fixed to the stretcher. Next, the vertical rod 42 with the arch part 41 attached is connected to the back plate 43. Next, the arch part 41 is pushed down toward the chest of the corpse H, and the impact hammer 44 is brought into contact with the chest of the corpse H. Then, the lifting mechanism 45 vibrates the impact hammer 44 up and down to compress the sternum, thereby repeatedly applying impacts to the heart of the corpse H at regular intervals. This performs a mechanical cardiac massage. As a result, blood is pumped out from the heart and circulates inside the corpse H.

[0035] Although the blood circulation device 4 has been described above, the configuration of the blood circulation device 4 is not particularly limited as long as it can forcibly circulate the blood of the corpse H. For example, the blood circulation device 4 may be configured to apply an electric shock to the heart of the corpse H to perform an electric cardiac massage.

[0036] -Refrigerant supply device 3- 3, the refrigerant supply device 3 has a housing 30 with high thermal insulation. Inside the housing 30, there are provided a storage section 31 for storing the refrigerant C, a pump 32 for supplying the refrigerant C stored in the storage section 31 to the flow path section 2 to circulate the refrigerant C, and a battery 33 for operating the pump 32. By imparting high thermal insulation to the housing 30, it is possible to effectively suppress a rise in temperature of the refrigerant C inside.

[0037] The housing 30 has a lid 300 that can be opened and closed, and by opening and closing the lid 300, the refrigerant C can be replenished to the storage section 31 or the refrigerant in the storage section 31 can be removed. The housing 30 is also formed with a supply path 301 having a supply side connection port 301a for connecting one end of the flow path section 2 (an end on the inlet side of the refrigerant C) and a supply side flow path 301b connecting the supply side connection port 301a and the storage section 31, and a recovery path 302 having a recovery side connection port 302a for connecting the other end of the flow path section 2 (an end on the outlet side of the refrigerant C) and a recovery side flow path 302b connecting the recovery side connection port 302a and the storage section 31. A pump 32 is provided midway along the supply side flow path 301b.

[0038] In such a refrigerant supplying device 3, the pump 32 is driven using power supplied from the battery 33, whereby the refrigerant C is supplied from the reservoir 31 to the flow path section 2, and the refrigerant C circulates between the reservoir 31 and the flow path section 2. In particular, by incorporating the battery 33, the organ cooling device 1 can be used even in places where there is no power source such as an outlet, making it highly portable.

[0039] The refrigerant C stored in the storage section 31 is not particularly limited as long as it can cool the blood of the corpse H, but in this embodiment, ice slurry I is used. The ice slurry I is sherbet-like ice in which fine ice particles are mixed in a liquid, and is also called slurry ice, ice slurry, slurry ice, etc.

[0040] In addition, the raw material of the ice slurry I is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, it is salt water (brine). By using salt water as the raw material, the ice slurry I has excellent biocompatibility. Therefore, it is safe even if the ice slurry I leaks from the refrigerant supply device 3 or the flow path section 2. In addition, the melting point of the ice slurry I can be easily adjusted by simply adjusting the salt concentration. Therefore, the ice slurry I having a desired melting point can be easily produced. In addition, the manufacturing cost of the ice slurry I can be reduced. In addition to salt water, the raw material of the ice slurry I can be, for example, water, sugar water, NaOH aqueous solution, Ca(OH) 2An aqueous solution, ethylene glycol, etc. can be used. Of course, other raw materials can be used.

[0041] The melting point of the ice slurry I (freezing point of salt water) is not particularly limited, but is preferably, for example, -25°C or higher and 0°C or lower, and more preferably -10°C or higher and 0°C or lower. By setting the melting point of the ice slurry I in such a range, the organs in the corpse H can be cooled to a lower temperature without freezing. Therefore, the organs in the corpse H can be preserved in a fresher state.

[0042] With the above-described ice slurry I, the temperature of the ice slurry I is maintained near its melting point by the action of latent heat until the ice component melts. Since the heat of fusion required to turn a solid into a liquid is higher than the specific heat of the liquid, the organs of corpse H can be kept cool for a longer period of time.

[0043] -Flow passage section 2- As shown in FIG. 4, the flow path section 2 is placed on the corpse H. Specifically, the flow path section 2 is a flexible tubular body, and is wrapped around the corpse H. Then, by supplying a refrigerant C from the refrigerant supply device 3 into the flow path section 2 while the flow path section 2 is wrapped around the corpse H, heat exchange occurs between the refrigerant C and the blood in the corpse H, and the blood is cooled, and further, the organs in the corpse H are cooled by the cooled blood. In this way, by cooling the organs in the corpse H via the blood, the organs in the corpse H can be efficiently cooled from inside the body. In particular, by wrapping the flow path section 2 around the corpse H, the flow path section 2 can be brought into close contact with the body surface (skin) of the corpse H, and the blood can be efficiently cooled.

[0044] Here, in order to efficiently cool the blood of the corpse H, the flow path section 2 is wrapped around the corpse H so as to be in firm contact with the body surface at least in one of the three major localized cooling sections. The three major localized cooling sections are the sides of the anterior neck H1 (left and right sides of the front of the neck), the axillary region H2 (both armpits), and the groin region H3 (front of the groin). The three major localized cooling sections are locations where large veins flow near the body surface, and can cool a large amount of blood (venous blood) in a shorter time. Therefore, the organs in the corpse H can be efficiently cooled in a shorter time. However, there is no particular limitation on the locations where the flow path section 2 is wrapped around the corpse H, as long as the blood can be cooled.

[0045] Although there is no particular limitation on such a flow path section 2, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, a metal bellows hose made of a metal such as stainless steel can be suitably used. A metal bellows hose has flexibility and shape retention to maintain its shape after deformation. Therefore, the flow path section 2 can be easily wrapped around the corpse H, and the wrapped state can be maintained. Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent the flow path section 2 from loosening and separating from the body surface of the corpse H after wrapping it around the corpse H. In addition, a metal bellows hose is unlikely to be twisted or crushed due to wrapping, and can effectively prevent clogging of the refrigerant C. In addition, a metal bellows hose has high thermal conductivity, so the heat exchange efficiency between the refrigerant C supplied to the flow path section 2 and the blood of the corpse H is increased. Therefore, the blood in the corpse H can be efficiently cooled.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 6, the flow path section 2 may be covered with a heat insulating material 5 at a portion other than the portion wrapped around the corpse H. This effectively suppresses heat exchange between the refrigerant C and anything other than the blood. This extends the time that the refrigerant C can be cooled, allowing the organs to be cooled for a longer period of time. The heat insulating material 5 is, for example, detachable from the flow path section 2, and is applied to necessary portions after the bare flow path section 2 is wrapped around the corpse H. Such a heat insulating material 5 is not particularly limited, but may be made of a cylindrical foam with a slit that can be opened into a C-shape.

[0047] In addition to the metal bellows hose, the flow path section 2 may be, for example, a hose made of a rubber material, a resin material, or the like. Also, the flow path section 2 may be, for example, a hose in which a cylindrical lining made of a rubber material, a resin material, or the like is covered with a cylindrical woven fabric (jacket). Such a flow path section 2 may be a flat hose that can be crushed flat, or a shape-retaining hose that maintains its cross-sectional shape. In particular, a flat hose provides the flow path section 2 with excellent portability.

[0048] The inner diameter of the flow path section 2 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 20 mm or more and 70 mm or less, and more preferably 30 mm or more and 55 mm or less. By making the diameter in this range, the flow path section 2 can be easily wrapped around the corpse H, and a gap is less likely to occur between the flow path section 2 and the body surface. Specifically, if the inner diameter of the flow path section 2 is less than 20 mm, the flow path section 2 becomes too thin, and depending on the part where the flow path section 2 is wrapped around the corpse H, the number of times the flow path section 2 is wrapped around the corpse H increases, and the time required for installation may be longer. In addition, depending on the fluidity of the refrigerant C, the refrigerant C may easily clog the flow path section 2. On the other hand, if the inner diameter of the flow path section 2 exceeds 70 mm, the flow path section 2 becomes too thick, and depending on the part where the flow path section 2 is wrapped around the corpse H, the flow path section 2 may not be able to be wrapped around the corpse H, or a gap may easily occur between the flow path section 2 and the body surface.

[0049] The configuration of the organ cooling device 1 has been described above. Next, a method of using the organ cooling device 1, that is, a method of cooling an organ using the organ cooling device 1, will be described. As shown in Fig. 7, the method of cooling an organ using the organ cooling device 1 includes a blood circulation device mounting step S1 of mounting the blood circulation device 4 on a corpse H, a flow path section arrangement step S2 of arranging the flow path section 2 on the corpse H, a refrigerant supply step S3 of supplying ice slurry I into the flow path section 2, and a blood circulation step S4 of circulating the blood of the corpse H. Then, the blood circulating in the corpse H is cooled by the ice slurry I supplied into the flow path section 2, thereby cooling the organs in the corpse H via the blood.

[0050] -Blood circulation device installation step S1- In the blood circulation device mounting step S1, the blood circulation device 4 is mounted on the corpse H as described above.

[0051] -Flow passage arrangement step S2- In the flow path section arrangement step S2, first, the flow path section 2 is wrapped around a predetermined portion of the corpse H. As described above, it is preferable to wrap the flow path section 2 around the three major local cooling portions of the corpse H, namely the anterior neck portion H1, the axillary portion H2, and the groin portion H3. At this time, the flow path section 2 is wrapped tightly so that it comes into contact with the body surface (skin) of the corpse H. Next, both ends of the flow path section 2 are connected to the supply side connection port 301a and the recovery side connection port 302a of the blood circulation device 4. In this way, by wrapping the flow path section 2 around the corpse H before connecting it to the blood circulation device 4, it becomes easier to wrap the flow path section 2 around the corpse H. Next, if necessary, the necessary portions of the flow path section 2 are covered with a heat insulating material 5.

[0052] However, the procedure of this step S2 is not particularly limited. For example, both ends of the flow path section 2 may be connected to the blood circulation device 4, and then the flow path section 2 may be wrapped around the corpse H. Alternatively, one end of the flow path section 2 may be connected to the blood circulation device 4, and then the flow path section 2 may be wrapped around the corpse H, and finally the other end of the flow path section 2 may be connected to the blood circulation device 4. Furthermore, the work of covering the necessary parts of the flow path section 2 with the heat insulating material 5 may be performed after the start of the blood circulation step S4. The work of covering the necessary parts of the flow path section 2 with the heat insulating material 5 is not essential for starting the cooling of the organ. Therefore, by giving priority to starting the cooling of the organ first, and performing the work of covering the necessary parts of the flow path section 2 with the heat insulating material 5 after the cooling is started, the time from the death of the person who expressed the intention to donate to the start of the cooling of the organ can be shortened.

[0053] - Refrigerant supply step S3 - In the coolant supply step S3, the pump 32 of the coolant supply device 3 is driven to supply the ice slurry I stored in the storage section 31 to the flow path section 2, and the ice slurry I is circulated between the storage section 31 and the flow path section 2. As a result, at the portion of the flow path section 2 where the corpse H is wrapped, heat is exchanged between the ice slurry I flowing inside the flow path section 2 and the blood of the corpse H, and the blood is cooled.

[0054] -Blood circulation step S4- In the blood circulation step S4, the blood circulation device 4 is driven to perform cardiac massage of the corpse H, and blood is circulated within the corpse H. As a result, the blood cooled in the three major local cooling parts circulates throughout the entire body of the corpse H, and the organs within the corpse H are cooled.

[0055] In this way, in the organ cooling method of the present embodiment, the organs in the corpse H are cooled via the blood, so that the organs can be efficiently cooled from within the body. Therefore, the organs in the corpse H can be cooled to a desired temperature in a shorter time, and the temperature of the organs can be maintained stable thereafter until the organs are removed. As a result, putrefaction of the organs can be suppressed and the organs can be appropriately preserved while maintaining their freshness until they are removed from the corpse H.

[0056] Furthermore, since the organ cooling device 1 can be attached to the corpse H and used without the need for medical procedures that are permitted only by specific individuals such as doctors and nurses, it can be used even if no doctor or nurse is present at the time of the death of the organ donor. Therefore, it is a device that can be used immediately in the case of sudden death in a situation where no doctor or nurse is present, such as sudden death or accidental death.

[0057] However, the organ cooling method is not particularly limited. For example, the order of the blood circulation step S4 is not particularly limited, and it may be performed between the blood circulation device mounting step S1 and the flow path section arrangement step S2, or between the flow path section arrangement step S2 and the coolant supply step S3.

[0058] The above describes the organ cooling device 1 and the organ cooling method. As described above, the organ cooling device 1 includes the flow path section 2 arranged on the corpse H, the refrigerant supplying device 3 that supplies the refrigerant C into the flow path section 2, and the blood circulating device 4 that circulates the blood of the corpse H. The blood circulating in the corpse H by the blood circulating device 4 is cooled by the refrigerant C supplied from the refrigerant supplying device 3 into the flow path section 2, thereby cooling the organs in the corpse H through the blood. In this way, the blood of the corpse H is forcibly circulated using the blood circulating device 4, and the organs in the corpse H are cooled through the blood, so that the organs in the corpse H can be efficiently cooled from the inside of the body. Therefore, the organs can be cooled to a desired temperature in a shorter time, and the temperature of the organs can be stably maintained thereafter until the organs are removed. As a result, the organs can be appropriately preserved while suppressing putrefaction and maintaining freshness until the organs are removed from the corpse H. Furthermore, the organ cooling device 1 can be attached to the corpse H and used without performing medical procedures that are permitted only for specific persons such as doctors and nurses. Therefore, it can be used even if no doctor or nurse is present when the organ donor dies. Therefore, it is a device that can be started immediately in the event of an unexpected death in a situation where no doctor or nurse is present, such as sudden death or accidental death.

[0059] As described above, the flow path section 2 is flexible and is wrapped around the corpse H. This allows the flow path section 2 to be in close contact with the body surface (skin) of the corpse H, and the blood can be cooled efficiently.

[0060] As described above, the blood circulation device 4 is a cardiac massage machine. This makes it possible to circulate the blood of the corpse H more reliably.

[0061] As described above, the flow path section 2 is wrapped around the front neck H1 of the corpse H. This makes it possible to efficiently cool the blood.

[0062] As described above, the flow path section 2 is wrapped around the armpit region H2 of the corpse H. This allows the blood to be cooled efficiently.

[0063] As described above, the flow path section 2 is wrapped around the groin H3 of the corpse H. This makes it possible to efficiently cool the blood.

[0064] As described above, the coolant supplying device 3 circulates the coolant C inside the flow path section 2. This promotes heat exchange between the coolant C and the blood, enabling the blood to be efficiently cooled.

[0065] As described above, the refrigerant C is ice slurry I. The refrigerant supply device 3 has a storage section 31 that stores the ice slurry I, and a pump 32 that supplies the ice slurry I stored in the storage section 31 to the flow path section 2. The ice slurry I maintains the temperature of the ice slurry I near its melting point until the ice components melt due to the action of latent heat. Since the heat of fusion required to turn a solid into a liquid is higher than the specific heat of a liquid, the organs of the corpse H can be kept cooled for a longer period of time.

[0066] As described above, the melting point of the ice slurry I is between -6°C and 0°C. This allows the organs of the corpse H to be cooled to a lower temperature without freezing them. Therefore, the organs of the corpse H can be preserved in a fresher state.

[0067] The organ cooling method includes a flow path section arrangement step S2 in which a flow path section 2 is arranged in the corpse H, a refrigerant supply step S3 in which a refrigerant C is supplied into the flow path section 2, and a blood circulation step S4 in which the blood of the corpse H is circulated. The blood circulating in the corpse H is cooled by the refrigerant C supplied into the flow path section 2, thereby cooling the organs in the corpse H through the blood. In this way, the blood of the corpse H is forcibly circulated using the blood circulation device 4, and the organs in the corpse H are cooled through the blood, so that the organs in the corpse H can be efficiently cooled from the inside of the body. Therefore, the organs can be cooled to a desired temperature in a shorter time, and the temperature of the organs can be stably maintained thereafter until the organs are removed. As a result, the organs can be appropriately preserved by suppressing putrefaction until the organs are removed from the corpse H. Furthermore, this method can be performed without performing medical procedures that are permitted only to specific persons such as doctors and nurses. Therefore, this method can be performed even if there are no doctors, nurses, etc. at the time of the death of the person who has expressed the intention to donate the organs.

[0068] <Second embodiment> The organ cooling device 1 according to this embodiment is similar to the organ cooling device 1 according to the first embodiment described above, except for the configuration of the flow path section 2. In the following description, the differences between this embodiment and the first embodiment will be mainly described, and the description of the similarities will be omitted. In each drawing of this embodiment, the same components as those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0069] 8, the flow path section 2 has five cuffs 211, 212, 213, 214, and 215, and six flexible connection paths 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, and 226 that connect the five cuffs 211, 212, 213, 214, and 215 to the refrigerant supply device 3. Each of the cuffs 211, 212, 213, 214, and 215 is a bag body, and is provided with a supply port for supplying ice slurry I therein and a discharge port for discharging the ice slurry I therein.

[0070] The supply side connection port 301a of the coolant supplying device 3 and the supply port of the cuff 211 are connected by a connection path 221, the exhaust port of the cuff 211 and the supply port of the cuff 212 are connected by a connection path 222, the exhaust port of the cuff 212 and the supply port of the cuff 213 are connected by a connection path 223, the exhaust port of the cuff 213 and the supply port of the cuff 214 are connected by a connection path 224, the exhaust port of the cuff 214 and the supply port of the cuff 215 are connected by a connection path 225, and the exhaust port of the cuff 215 and the recovery side connection port 302a of the coolant supplying device 3 are connected by a connection path 226. Therefore, the ice slurry I supplied from the coolant supplying device 3 to the flow path section 2 circulates through the cuffs 211, 212, 213, 214, and 215 in order.

[0071] The cuff 211 cools the blood at the front neck H1 of the corpse H. As shown in FIG. 9, the cuff 211 is belt-shaped and is wrapped around the neck of the corpse H. The cuff 211 is equipped with a hook-and-loop fastener (not shown), and the hook-and-loop fastener fastens the cuff 211 in a wrapped state around the neck of the corpse H. The cuff 211 expands when ice slurry I is supplied therein, and comes into close contact with the front neck H1. Therefore, heat is efficiently exchanged between the ice slurry I in the cuff 211 and the blood of the corpse H at the front neck H1, and the blood is efficiently cooled.

[0072] The cuffs 212, 213 cool the blood in the armpit region H2 of the corpse H. The cuffs 212, 213 are sandwiched between both sides of the corpse H. The cuffs 212, 213 are inflated by supplying ice slurry I thereinto, and come into close contact with the armpit region H2. Therefore, in the armpit region H2, heat exchange is efficiently performed between the ice slurry I in the cuffs 212, 213 and the blood of the corpse H, and the blood is efficiently cooled.

[0073] The cuffs 214, 215 cool the blood in the groin H3 of the corpse H. The cuffs 214, 215 are belt-shaped and are wrapped around the bases of both legs of the corpse H. The cuffs 214, 215 are equipped with hook-and-loop fasteners (not shown), and are fixed in a state where they are wrapped around the bases of the legs of the corpse H by the hook-and-loop fasteners. The cuffs 214, 215 expand when ice slurry I is supplied thereinto, and come into close contact with the groin H3. Therefore, in the groin H3, heat is efficiently exchanged between the ice slurry I in the cuffs 214, 215 and the blood of the corpse H, and the blood is efficiently cooled.

[0074] The second embodiment as described above can also achieve the same effects as the first embodiment.

[0075] In this embodiment, the five cuffs 211, 212, 213, 214, and 215 are connected in series to the refrigerant supplying device 3, but the connection of the cuffs 211, 212, 213, 214, and 215 is not particularly limited. For example, the cuffs 211, 212, 213, 214, and 215 may be connected in parallel to the refrigerant supplying device 3. Also, the cuff 211 may be branched into the cuffs 212 and 214 on the left half of the body side and the cuffs 213 and 215 on the right half of the body side. Also, at least one of the cuffs 211, 212, 213, 214, and 215 may be omitted, or at least one or more cuffs to be placed on parts of the corpse H other than the above may be added.

[0076] <Third embodiment> The organ cooling device 1 according to this embodiment is similar to the organ cooling device 1 according to the first embodiment described above, except for the configuration of the refrigerant supplying device 3. In the following description, the differences between this embodiment and the first embodiment will be mainly described, and the description of the similarities will be omitted. In each drawing of this embodiment, the same reference numerals are used for the same configurations as those in the above-mentioned embodiment.

[0077] In the organ cooling device 1 of this embodiment, a liquefied gas is used as the refrigerant C. The liquefied gas is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include LNG (liquefied natural gas), LPG (liquefied petroleum gas), liquid hydrogen, liquid nitrogen, and liquid oxygen.

[0078] 10, the refrigerant supply device 3 has a liquefied gas storage tank 35 that stores liquefied gas, and a liquefied gas supply unit 36 ​​that supplies the liquefied gas in the liquefied gas storage tank 35 to the flow path unit 2. Only one end of the flow path unit 2 (the end to which the refrigerant C is supplied) is connected to the refrigerant supply device 3, and the other end (the end from which the refrigerant C is discharged) is open to the atmosphere. A valve B is provided at the other end, and the flow rate of the liquefied gas flowing through the flow path unit 2 can be adjusted by adjusting the opening of the valve B.

[0079] In such an organ cooling device 1, heat exchange takes place between the liquefied gas supplied into the flow path section 2 and the blood of the corpse H, thereby cooling the blood, and further, the organs in the corpse H are cooled by the cooled blood. Moreover, the liquefied gas used for heat exchange with the blood is released to the atmosphere through the valve B, for example, in an at least partially vaporized state.

[0080] The third embodiment as described above can also achieve the same effects as the first embodiment described above.

[0081] In this embodiment, the downstream side of the flow path section 2 is open to the atmosphere, but this is not limited thereto, and the gas may be connected to a re-liquefaction device (refrigeration machine) to return the vaporized gas to liquefied gas for reuse. This eliminates the need for refilling with liquefied gas.

[0082] Although the organ cooling device and the organ cooling method of the present invention have been described above based on the illustrated embodiment, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the configuration of each part can be replaced with any configuration having a similar function. In addition, any other configuration or any process can be added to the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 1...organ cooling device, 2...flow path section, 211...cuff, 212...cuff, 213...cuff, 214...cuff, 215...cuff, 221...connection path, 222...connection path, 223...connection path, 224...connection path, 225...connection path, 226...connection path, 3...refrigerant supply device, 30...casing, 300...lid, 301...supply path, 301a...supply side connection port, 301b...supply side flow path, 302...recovery path, 302a...recovery side connection port, 302b...recovery side flow path, 31...storage section, 32...pump , 33...battery, 35...liquefied gas storage tank, 36...liquefied gas supply unit, 4...blood circulation device, 41...arch section, 411...connection section, 42...vertical rod, 43...backboard, 44...impact hammer, 45...lifting mechanism, 5...insulation material, B...valve, C...refrigerant, H...corpse, H1...front neck, H2...axillary region, H3...groin, I...ice slurry, S1...blood circulation device installation step, S2...flow path arrangement step, S3...refrigerant supply step, S4...blood circulation step

Claims

1. A flow path portion disposed on the corpse; a coolant supply device for supplying a coolant into the flow path; a blood circulation device for circulating the blood of the corpse, An organ cooling device characterized in that the blood circulated within the corpse by the blood circulation device is cooled by the refrigerant supplied from the refrigerant supply device into the flow path portion, thereby cooling the organs within the corpse via the blood.

2. 2. The organ cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the flow path portion is flexible and is adapted to be wrapped around the corpse.

3. 2. The organ cooling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the blood circulating device is a heart massager.

4. 2. The organ cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the flow path portion is wrapped around the front neck of the corpse.

5. 2. The organ cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the flow path portion is wrapped around the armpit of the corpse.

6. 2. The organ cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the flow passage portion is wrapped around the groin area of ​​the corpse.

7. The organ cooling apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the coolant supplying device circulates the coolant within the flow path portion.

8. the refrigerant is an ice slurry; 8. The organ cooling apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the coolant supplying device comprises: a storage section for storing the ice slurry; and a pump for supplying the ice slurry stored in the storage section to the flow path section.

9. 9. The organ cooling device according to claim 8, wherein the melting point of the ice slurry is not less than -25°C and not more than 0°C.

10. A flow path portion arranging step of arranging a flow path portion on a corpse; a coolant supply step of supplying a coolant into the flow path portion; and a blood circulating step of circulating the blood of the corpse, A method for cooling an organ, comprising cooling the blood circulating within the corpse with the refrigerant supplied into the flow path, thereby cooling an organ within the corpse via the blood.

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