Biological product preservation apparatus and method

Abstract

Biological product preservation apparatus comprising container unit 100 comprising a storage region for holding a liquid in which a biological product is to be preserved and an agitator 146 configured

Description

Technical Field The present disclosure relates to the field of preservation of biological products. For example, the present disclosure may relate to the preservation of body tissue, such as body tissue through which a fluid may be circulated, e.g. with a gaseous oxygen persufflation mixture. Background In some cases, one or more organs may be obtained from a donor patient and such organ(s) may be used in the treatment of a recipient patient. In which case, a surgeon may remove a relevant organ from the patient. The organ is then transferred so that it can be used to treat the recipient patient. During this process, there will be a time period in which the organ is not connected to either patient, and this organ is to be maintained in a suitable state so that it may still be useful in the treatment of the recipient patient. In this time period the organ may have to be transported, such as from one hospital to another. Storage apparatuses have been disclosed which are designed to facilitate this transfer of an organ. For example, GB2592354 discloses apparatuses and methods for the storage and preservation of body tissue. Aspects of the present disclosure seek to provide systems and methods for preservation of biological products. Such systems and methods of the present disclosure may, in some implementations, be used to provide improved preservation of body tissue. Summary Aspects of the disclosure are set out in the independent claims and optional features are set out in the dependent claims. Aspects of the disclosure may be provided in conjunction with each other, and features of one aspect may be applied to other aspects. In an aspect, there is provided a biological product preservation apparatus comprising: a container unit comprising a storage region for holding a liquid in which a biological product is to be preserved, and an agitator configured to agitate liquid disposed in the storage region of the container unit. Embodiments may provide for improved preservation of such a biological product due to a reduction in thermal stratification occurring for the liquid in the container unit. As such, the temperature of the liquid may be more uniformly distributed. In turn, this may ensure that a temperature of the biological product is more consistent and closer to an intended temperature for preservation of that product. The biological product may comprise any suitable product to be used in a medical scenario. For example, the biological product may comprise a product which is to be used to facilitate treatment of a patient. Such a product may be in the form of body tissue, e.g. artificial or real. For example, the body tissue may comprise an organ (e.g. a human or animal organ). Additionally, or alternatively, the biological product could comprise another substance for facilitating treatment of a patient, such as replacement blood orother bodily fluids, or a suitable medicine (e.g. a drug, a vaccine or other composition to be applied to the patient to be treated). Embodiments may find particular utility for the preservation of biological products which would benefit from (or require) their temperature to be tightly controlled prior to use. For example, this may reduce the likelihood of the product deteriorating during the period in which it is being preserved (i.e. prior to its subsequent use for treating a patient). The apparatus is configured to preserve the biological product. Preservation of the biological product may comprise retaining the biological product in an environment whose temperature is controlled. The apparatus may be configured to preserve the product whetherthe apparatus is stationary or moving. For example, the product may be stored in the apparatus and / or transported within the apparatus. In other words, the apparatus may be portable, e.g. to facilitate transport of the apparatus (and said product therein). During either storage or transportation, the apparatus may be configured to provide preservation (e.g. thermal management) of the product. One or more walls of the container unit may define an internal volume which is filled with preservation liquid. The biological product, e.g. the body tissue, is preserved in the preservation liquid within the container unit. For example, this may further facilitate preservation of the product. The apparatus may comprise a fluid delivery system configured to circulate fluid to the body tissue in the container unit. The fluid delivery system may be configured to supply a gas to the product, e.g. to supply a gas to the body tissue. The apparatus may be a persufflation apparatus and the fluid delivery system may comprise a persufflation gas supply system configured to supply persufflation gas to the body tissue in the container unit. For example, the apparatus may be configured to deliver persufflation gas to body tissue in the preservation liquid in the container unit. The apparatus may comprise a base unit. The base unit may comprise a container unit receiving portion arranged to receive the container unit. The base unit may comprise one or more sensors which are used by the controller to control operation of the apparatus. The base unit may be configured to manage or at least affect a temperature of the container unit. The agitator may be configured to distribute thermal energy throughout the preservation liquid in the container unit. For example, the agitator may be configured to inhibit thermal stratification occurring within the preservation liquid in the container unit. The agitator may be part of the container unit. The agitator may comprise at least one agitator port configured to deliver a fluid, e.g. a gas, to the storage region of the container unit to agitate the liquid therein. The agitator may be configured to deliver a fluid to the preservation liquid to agitate the preservation liquid, wherein that fluid is a fluid which is to be circulated to body tissue in the container unit. For example, the apparatus may be configured to deliver a gas, such as a persufflation gas, to the body tissue, and the agitator may be configured to deliver persufflation gas to the preservation liquid in the container unit for agitation thereof. In other words, the agitator may be configured to deliver persufflation gas to the preservation liquid in the storage region, e.g. at least some of the persufflation gas which would otherwise be delivered to the product (e.g. body tissue) may be diverted into the preservation liquid to provide agitation thereof (e.g. through the agitator port). The agitator may be configured to bubble (persufflation) gas up through the preservation liquid in the storage region. The agitator may be coupled to the (persufflation) gas supply system to receive (persufflation) gas therefrom. The container unit may comprise an agitator conduit coupling an inlet port (for connecting to receive fluid, e.g. persufflation gas, to be circulated to the body tissue) to the agitator port. A passageway may extend between the inlet port and the outlet port (for coupling to the body tissue). The agitator conduit may be coupled to the passageway, e.g. to receive some of the gas which would otherwise travel through the outlet port towards the body tissue (for using that gas to agitate the preservation liquid). The agitator port may be in a lower portion of the storage region. The agitator port may be in a base of the storage region. The container unit may comprise a passageway which couples the inlet port to the outlet port. Said passageway may be external to the storage region of the container unit. The container unit may comprise a liquid region within the passageway. For example, the container unit may comprise a humidifier (e.g. which contains the liquid region) to humidify gas to be delivered to the body tissue (e.g. before that gas passes out through the outlet port towards the body tissue). The humidifier may be external to the internal volume of the container unit, e.g. on an exterior wall of the container unit. The container unit may be configured to bubble persufflation gas through liquid in the liquid region, e.g. thereby to humidify the persufflation gas, before that persufflation gas is delivered to the body tissue (e.g. for persufflation thereof). The apparatus may comprise an obstruction memberwithin the storage region of the container unit. The obstruction member may be configured to inhibit excess movement of the body tissue within the storage region. The obstruction member may provide ballast to reduce a volume of preservation liquid within the storage region. The obstruction member may comprise a plurality of apertures sized to permit movement of liquid therethrough but to inhibit movement of the body tissue therethrough. For example, the apertures may be configured to permit sloshing of liquid therethrough, but to inhibit movement of the body tissue (e.g. by more than a threshold amount). The obstruction member may comprise one or more flanges configured to contact at least one wall of the container unit. The flanges may surround a main portion of the obstruction member, and the main portion may define an internal region into which the body tissue to be preserved is retained. The obstruction member may be configured to retain the body tissue within said internal region. The obstruction member may be resilient. The agitator may be coupled to a surface of the container unit. At least one surface of the container unit receiving portion may be arranged to thermally couple the thermal energy store to a corresponding surface of the container unit. The agitator may be located adjacent to said corresponding surface of the container unit, e.g. the agitator port may be located proximal / adjacent to said surface of the container unit. The base unit may comprise a container unit receiving portion arranged to receive said container unit. At least one surface of the container unit receiving portion may be configured to thermally couple the container unit to a thermal management system for managing a temperature of the preservation liquid in the storage region. The agitator port may be disposed adjacent to said at least one surface of the container unit receiving portion. The agitator may comprise a fluid mover. For example, the agitator port may be located in a lower portion of the storage region in the container unit. The container unit is configured for delivering persufflation gas to the preservation liquid in the internal volume of the container unit, e.g. to bubble the persufflation gas through the preservation liquid. The container unit may be configured to deliver the persufflation gas into a lower region of the preservation liquid and to bubble this up through the preservation liquid. The agitator may be configured to deliver at least some of the persufflation gas to the liquid in the storage region, thereby to agitate said liquid. In an aspect, there is provided a container unit for a biological product preservation apparatus, the container unit comprising: a storage region for holding a liquid in which a biological product is to be preserved; and an agitator configured to agitate liquid disposed in the storage region of the container unit. In an aspect, there is provided a method of storing a biological product, the method comprising: preserving the biological product in a liquid held in a storage region of a container unit; and agitating the liquid disposed in the storage region of the container unit. Aspects of the present disclosure may comprise one or more computer program products comprising computer program instructions configured to program a controller to control operation of a biological product preservation apparatus to implement any of the methods disclosed herein. Figures Some examples of the present disclosure will now be described, byway of example only, with reference to the figures, in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a container unit for a biological product preservation apparatus. In the drawings like reference numerals are used to indicate like elements. Specific Description Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to apparatuses and methods for preserving a biological product. In particular, embodiments relate to a biological product preservation apparatus in which a biological product is to be preserved in a liquid held in a container unit. The container unit may be received within a corresponding receiving portion of a base unit for holding that container unit. The container unit includes an agitator, such as an inlet for bubbling gas through the liquid in the container unit. Agitation of the liquid within the container unit may inhibit thermal stratification occurring within that liquid. In turn, this may provide more uniform thermal surroundings for the biological product being preserved, which may improve preservation of such a product. Embodiments may find particular utility in the field of preservation and storage of body tissue, such as organs. Likewise, embodiments may find particular utility as part of a persufflation system for delivering persufflation gas to the body tissue being preserved. Biological product preservation apparatus A container unit of the present disclosure will be described in more detail below in relation to Fig. 1. First, a biological product preservation apparatus in which such a container unit may be provided will be described. Such an apparatus may be similar to storage apparatuses of the type disclosed in e.g. UK patent publications GB2596042, GB2620389, GB2592354, GB2592355 and / or GB2596041. The biological product preservation apparatus includes a container unit, and it may also include a base unit. The base unit comprises a container unit receiving portion. The base unit may also comprise one or more elements for manging a temperature of the container unit, e.g. for increasing and / or decreasing this temperature, such as based on obtained sensor data. The container unit includes a storage region for preserving the biological product. The biological product may be body tissue, such as an organ. The container unit is insertable into the base unit (into the container unit receiving portion thereof). Once inserted, one or more outer surfaces of the container unit may be located in proximity of the container unit receiving portion of the base unit. Heat may be transferred therebetween radiatively. There may be an air gap between at least some portions of the container unit and the wall(s) which define the container unit receiving portion. The apparatus may include a lid which seals the container unit and also the base unit. The container unit comprises one or more walls which define an internal storage volume for the container unit. The body tissue is disposed in the internal storage volume of the container unit. The container unit receiving portion of the base unit comprises one or more walls which surround an open volume for receiving the container unit. With the container unit received in the container unit receiving portion of the base unit, the one or more walls of the container unit will be held in close proximity to the one or more walls of the container unit receiving portion. These may be separated by an air gap. For example, the walls of the container unit may run parallel to the corresponding walls of the container unit receiving portion (e.g. or at least approximately parallel). The container unit may be a consumable product. For instance, it may be a single-use component. As will be appreciated, for the preservation of biological products, such as body tissue, any components which come into contact with that body tissue may need to be discarded after use. The container unit may be arranged to preserve the body tissue in the internal volume so as to permit multiple uses of the base unit, e.g. with different subsequent container units. The apparatus may be configured for preserving body tissue, such as a replacement organ, and for circulating fluid through that body tissue for improved preservation of the body tissue. In particular, the apparatus may be configured to provide persufflation of body tissue in the container unit. That body tissue may also be preserved within a pool of preservation liquid. For this, the apparatus may include a persufflation gas store, a gas delivery line, an inlet connection, tubing, an outlet connection, a gas receiving line and a gas outlet. The container unit will hold preservation liquid therein in which the body tissue is to be preserved. One or more walls of the container unit define an internal volume arranged to receive preservation liquid in which the body tissue is to be preserved. The body tissue may be at least partially submerged within the preservation liquid in the container unit. The body tissue may float in the preservation liquid in the container unit. For the preservation of body tissue within the container unit, the apparatus may be configured to circulate fluid to that body tissue, e.g. to the native vasculature of the body tissue. While this may comprise circulation of a liquid perfusate through the body tissue, in the example of Fig. 1 described below, the apparatus is a body tissue persufflation apparatus configured to supply gaseous oxygen perfusate to the body tissue. For this, the apparatus comprises the persufflation gas store. This may comprise a gas cannister which stores persufflation gas (and / or it may comprise means for onboard generation of persufflation gas). One or more fluid conduits are provided for connecting the gas store to the body tissue. The gas delivery line is connected to the gas store. The base unit houses the gas store and the gas delivery line. The gas delivery line (of the base station) may couple to one or more conduits for connection to the body tissue. The container unit and any conduits of the container unit may themselves be single-use (e.g. consumable) products. The base unit may be multi-use. The apparatus may comprise a plurality of couplings for connecting gas flow line(s) of the base unit to the components in the container unit. The inlet connection couples the gas delivery line to the tubing. The tubing may comprise one or more different fluid conduits for coupling the gas delivery line to the body tissue, e.g. to different portions of the native vasculature of the body tissue (e.g. to different veins and / or arteries). One or more pieces of tubing may be coupled to the body tissue to deliver input gas and one or more pieces of tubing may be coupled to the body tissue to receive gas which has passed through the body tissue from the input tubing. The output tubing portion(s) may couple to the base unit for delivering gas thereto. The outlet connection may couple the tubing to the gas receiving line of the base unit. In other words, a gas flow path is defined through the apparatus for delivering persufflation gas to the body tissue. The apparatus may deliver persufflation gas from the gas store (in the base unit) to the body tissue (in the container unit) via this flow path. The apparatus may also define a flow path for receiving this gas which has been delivered to the body tissue, and for returning this gas to the base unit. The base unit may comprise a storage component (e.g. gas canister) for receiving the discarded gas, and / or the apparatus may comprise an outlet for venting gas. The gas outlet may be configured to vent persufflation gas which has passed through the body tissue (e.g. which has been received from the tubing via the gas receiving line). As will be described in more detail below, the apparatus may also include one or more other gas flow paths for delivering gas through the apparatus. The apparatus may include a gas flow path arranged to deliver gas into preservation liquid in the container unit. For example, this gas flow path may be coupled to the container unit, e.g. to a lower region thereof (such as in a floor of the container unit), to deliver gas to that region of the container unit. This may cause that gas to bubble up through the preservation liquid therein. This gas flow path may be for persufflation gas (e.g. the same gas to be delivered to the body tissue), or it may be for another gas (e.g. a gas suitable for contacting the body tissue). Such an additional gas flow path may facilitate agitation of the preservation liquid in the container unit (e.g. to inhibit thermal stratification occurring therein). This gas flow path may be different, e.g. independent, to the gas flow path mentioned above for delivering gas to the body tissue, or the two may be connected (e.g. they may be two different branches for gas to flow from the same gas source). As will be described in more detail below in relation to Fig. 1, the container unit may be arranged to direct some of the gas that would be delivered from the gas flow path to the body tissue to a separate conduit for delivery into the bottom of the container unit. As such, a biological product preservation apparatus may be provided that is configured to preserved body tissue in a preservation liquid within the container unit, and to circulate persufflation gas to this body tissue in the container unit. Container unit An example container unit 100 will now be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 shows a container unit 100. The container unit 100 of Fig. 1 may be arranged to store liquid, such as a preservation liquid 110 in which a medical product, such as body tissue 10, is to be preserved. The container unit 100 includes an agitator. In the example of Fig. 1, the agitator includes agitator port 150 and an agitator conduit 155. The container unit 100 may include one or more components for delivering fluid (e.g. persufflation gas) to the body tissue 10. For this, the container unit 100 includes an inlet connection 141, an inlet tubing connector 144, tubing 142, an outlet tubing connector 145 and an outlet connection 143. The container unit 100 may also include a humidifier 160. The humidifier 160 may include a humidifier inlet 162 and a humidifier outlet 164. An agitator connection 146 is also included. The container unit 100 may also include an obstruction member 120. The obstruction member may comprise one or more flanges 122. Agitation of preservation liquid One or more walls of the container unit 100 define an internal volume in which preservation liquid 110 is to be stored. The body tissue 10 is preserved in preservation liquid 110 in the internal volume of the container unit 100. The present inventors have identified that the biological product preserved in the preservation liquid 110 may experience beneficial preservation by providing agitation of the preservation liquid 110 in the container unit 100. This approach may inhibit thermal stratification occurring within the preservation liquid 110 in the container unit 100, and so the biological product may experience a more uniform surrounding temperature. In examples where the apparatus is configured to manage (or at least influence / adjust) a temperature of the preservation liquid 110 in the container unit 100, the agitation may provide a more uniform liquid temperature within the container unit 100, and so the temperature control by the apparatus may be more effective, as the biological product may be surrounded by liquid which is at the intended temperature (not a stratified temperature different to the controlled temperature). For the container unit 100, agitation of the preservation liquid 110 may be provided through delivery of a gas to the preservation liquid 110. In particular, a gas may be bubbled through the preservation liquid 110 from a lower portion thereof. This gas bubbling may act to distribute heat more uniformly within the preservation liquid 110. For this, the container unit 100 comprises the agitator port 150 and the agitator conduit 155. The agitator port 150 comprises an inlet to the internal volume of the container unit 100. The agitator port 150 may be located in a floor (bottom wall) of the container unit 100. For example, the agitator port 150 may provide an opening into a lower region of the internal volume of the container unit 100. The agitator port 150 is coupled to a supply of gas by the agitator conduit 155. The agitator conduit 155 comprises a channel through which gas may flow to the agitator port 150. The agitator conduit 155 may be located on an external surface of the container unit 100 (e.g. opposite to the internal volume), as shown in Fig. 1. Alternatively, the agitator conduit 155 may be located inside the internal volume of the container unit 100. For example, the agitator conduit 155 may extend from the inlet tubing connector 144 towards a lower region of the internal volume. The agitator conduit 155 and port 150 are arranged to deliver gas to a lower region of the internal volume of the container unit 100. That is, the two are configured to supply a gas into the preservation liquid 110 in the container unit 100. The supplied gas delivered to the lower region of the preservation liquid 110 will bubble up through the preservation liquid 110, thereby inhibiting thermal stratification of that preservation liquid 110. The container unit 100 may be for a body tissue persufflation apparatus. In which case, the biological product preservation apparatus (and thus container unit 100) are configured to circulate gaseous oxygen perfusate to the body tissue 10 in the container unit 100. The agitator conduit 155 may couple the agitator port 150 to the supply of gaseous oxygen perfusate for the persufflation apparatus. For example, one or more conduits of the container unit 100 may be coupled to the gas store (via the gas supply line) in the base unit. The agitator conduit 155 may be coupled to one of these said conduits for coupling to the supply of gas. In Fig. 1, this is shown via agitator connection 146. The agitator connection 146 is located downstream of the inlet connection 141 of the container unit 100 (which is for connecting to the base unit to receive persufflation gas therefrom). In other words, the container unit 100 provides a gas channel (from the agitator connection 146, through the agitator conduit 155, and into the agitator port 150) arranged to provide persufflation gas to preservation liquid 110 in the container unit 100. This arrangement may enable at least some persufflation gas to be delivered to the preservation liquid 110 to distribute heat therein. This gas channel may be small relative to the other channels for carrying persufflation gas, thereby to limit the amount of gas which flows in through the agitator port 150, as the thermal stratification inhibition may occur with a relatively small amount of gas provided. Additionally, or alternatively, the agitator connection 146 may comprise a valve for limiting the amount of persufflation gas which is delivered through the agitator port 150. Persufflation gas delivery The container unit 100 is configured to circulate gaseous oxygen perfusate to the body tissue 10 preserved in the container unit 100. For this, the container unit 100 is configured to couple to a source of persufflation gas in the base unit, thereby to receive persufflation gas. The container unit 100 may also be configured to couple to the base unit to provide discarded persufflation gas thereto. The inlet connection 141 of the container unit 100 is configured to couple to a source of persufflation gas in the base unit. For instance, the inlet connection 141 may be configured to couple to a gas supply line of the base unit. The inlet connection 141 is located external to the internal volume of the container unit 100. The humidifier 160 is coupled to the inlet connection 141. The humidifier 160 is located on an external wall of the container unit 100. Providing the humidifier 160 on the external wall may simplify manufacturing of the container unit 100, e.g. by enabling simpler moulding to be performed. The humidifier 160 comprises the humidifier inlet 162 and the humidifier outlet 164. The humidifier inlet 162 is coupled to the inlet connection 141. For example, a conduit may extend from the inlet connection 141 through to the humidifier inlet 162. The agitator connection 146 may be provided in said conduit. The humidifier 160 may be at least partially filled with a liquid, such as the preservation liquid 110 of the internal volume of the container unit 100 (the two volumes of preservation liquid 110 may be separate or connected in some way). The humidifier inlet 162 may be located in a lower region of the humidifier 160. The humidifier outlet 164 may be located in a higher region of the humidifier 160. A conduit may extend from the humidifier outlet 164 into the internal volume of the container unit 100. As shown in Fig. 1, a conduit which is coupled to the humidifier outlet 164 may be coupled to the inlet tubing connector 144. At which point, the conduit is coupled to tubing 142 which is to be connected to the body tissue 10, e.g. to the native vasculature thereof. Similarly, tubing 142 may extend from the body tissue 10, e.g. from the native vasculature thereof, to the outlet tubing connector 145, where that tubing 142 is connected to a separate conduit. That separate conduit may extend through to the outlet connection 143. The outlet connection 143 may be coupled to a component of the base unit for discarding gas, e.g. to the gas receiving line of a base unit. The inlet connection 141 is configured to receive gaseous oxygen perfusate from the base unit (e.g. from the gas store). The container unit 100 is configured to provide humidification of this gas prior to delivery to the body tissue 10 in the container unit 100. For this, the gas is delivered from the inlet connection 141 into the preservation liquid in the humidifier 160 (via the humidifier inlet 162). The humidifier 160 is arranged for received persufflation gas to be bubbled through the preservation liquid. For example, the humidifier inlet 162 may be located in a lower portion of the humidifier 160. The humidifier outlet 164 is configured to receive humidified persufflation gas which has been bubbled through the preservation liquid in the humidifier 160. For example, the humidifier outlet 164 may be located in an upper portion of the humidifier 160. The container unit 100 is arranged to deliver humidified persufflation gas from the gas humidifier 160 to the body tissue 10 in the container unit 100. For this, one or more tubes may be configured to couple the humidifier outlet 164 to the body tissue 10, e.g. to the native vasculature of the body tissue 10. The inlet tubing connector 144 may be included to couple a conduit extending from the humidifier outlet 164 to tubing 142 which is to be coupled to the body tissue 10 (e.g. at least partially inserted into the native vasculature thereof). For example, this may be included where a different type of tubing 142 is used for contacting the body tissue 10. Similarly, tubing 142 may be provided which couples the body tissue 10 to the outlet connection 143 (e.g. via the outlet tubing connector 145). The outlet connection 143 is configured to couple to the base unit (e.g. to the gas receiving line in the base unit) for discarding gas thereto. In other words, the container unit 100 is arranged to provide two different gas flow paths. For both gas flow paths, gas is received from the base unit through the inlet connection 141, and this may ultimately be returned to the base unit via the outlet connection 143. For the first gas flow path, the gas is humidified in the humidifier 160 on the outside of the container unit 100 before being delivered to the body tissue 10. For the second gas flow path, the gas may be directed through the agitator conduit 155 and into the preservation liquid 110 through the agitator port 150. At least one conduit may be coupled to the outlet connection 143 which is for receiving gas in the container unit 100 (e.g. agitator gas) which has not travelled through the body tissue 10, e.g. to retain pressure levels within the internal volume of the container unit 100. Obstruction member The obstruction member 120 is included in the internal volume of the container unit 100. The obstruction member 120 may be a separate component to the container unit 100, e.g. it may be a component which is insertable into the internal volume of the container unit 100. The obstruction member 120 comprises one or more flanges 122. The flange(s) 122 extend radially around a perimeter of the obstruction member 120. The flange(s) 122 may be located at a lower region of the obstruction member 120. The obstruction member 120 comprises one or more walls which extend upwards from the flange(s) 122. The walls may extend towards a ceiling of the obstruction member 120 (at an upper region of the member). The wall(s) include one or more apertures. The obstruction member 120 is sized to fit within the internal volume of the container unit 100 and to surround the body tissue 10. The flange(s) 122 are arranged to contact the internal wall(s) of the container unit 100. The flange(s) 122 may be arranged to abut the internal wall(s) of the container unit 100 to hold the obstruction member 120 in a fixed position within the internal volume of the container unit 100. The apertures in the obstruction member 120 are configured to permit movement of liquid therethrough. In particular, the obstruction member 120 is arranged to permit movement of preservation liquid 110 through the apertures, e.g. as it sloshes about within the internal volume of the container unit 100. The obstruction member 120 is configured to surround the body tissue 10 within the internal volume of the container unit 100. The obstruction member 120 is configured to permit movement of preservation liquid 110 through the apertures, but to inhibit movement of the body tissue 10 therethrough. In other words, the obstruction member 120 is arranged to provide a constraining volume to limit the amount by which body tissue 10 may move within the container unit 100. The obstruction member 120 may be flexible and resilient. For example, the obstruction member 120 may be arranged to be securely inserted into the internal volume of the container unit 100 and to define an internal volume therewithin for limiting lateral movement of the body tissue 10 within the container unit 100. Advantageously, this arrangement may enable provide additional protection for the body tissue 10 within the container unit 100. In particular, any lateral movement of the body tissue 10, e.g. due to motion of the biological product preservation apparatus as a whole (e.g. in transit), may be limited within the container unit 100. In turn, this may reduce the likelihood of impact-induced damage to the body tissue 10, as well as the likelihood of the movement of the body tissue 10 dislodging any tubing 142 coupled to the body tissue 10. Alternatives and variations It will be appreciated that the examples described above should not be considered limiting. Instead, the examples are just intended to demonstrate aspects of the technology. For example, in the examples described herein, the biological product to be preserved by the biological product preservation apparatuses is in the form of body tissue 10, such as a replacement organ. However, it will be appreciated that other forms of biological product may be preserved in apparatuses of the present disclosure. For example, the biological product could be different body tissue to a replacement organ, e.g. it may comprise artificial tissue. Alternatively, the biological product may comprise any of: drugs, vaccines, blood (or other body fluids). The biological product may comprise any product which may be used in a clinical scenario, e.g. for medical reasons such as facilitating treatment of a patient. Likewise, while examples include delivery of persufflation gas to body tissue, this need not be considered limiting. No such fluid circulation may included and / or an alternative circulation such as liquid perfusate may be utilised. Likewise, while a particular arrangement for the humidifier 160 has been shown in Fig. 1, this should not be considered limiting. Other means for humidifying could be provided, e.g. in which at least some liquid is added to the incoming gas, or no humidification may be provided at all (e.g. depending upon the type of gas to be delivered). Likewise, while the agitator in Fig. 1 is shown by a gas inlet, it will be appreciated that agitation of the liquid could be provided in another way, e.g. through movement of a component or substance within the internal volume of the container unit 100. The use of the agitation inlet 150 may be particularly beneficial as part of a persufflation apparatus, as that supply of gas to the container unit 100 may already be in place for persufflating body tissue therein. It will be appreciated from the discussion above that the examples shown in the figures are merely exemplary, and include features which may be generalised, removed or replaced as described herein and as set out in the claims. With reference to the drawings in general, it will be appreciated that schematic functional block diagrams are used to indicate functionality of systems and apparatus described herein. In addition, the processing functionality may also be provided by devices which are supported by an electronic device. It will be appreciated however that the functionality need not be divided in this way, and should not be taken to imply any particular structure of hardware otherthan that described and claimed below. Thefunction of one or more of the elements shown in the drawings may be further subdivided, and / or distributed throughout apparatus of the disclosure. In some examples, the function of one or more elements shown in the drawings may be integrated into a single functional unit. As will be appreciated by the skilled reader in the context of the present disclosure, each of the examples described herein may be implemented in a variety of different ways. Any feature of any aspects of the disclosure may be combined with any of the other aspects of the disclosure. For example, method aspects may be combined with apparatus aspects, and features described with reference to the operation of particular elements of apparatus may be provided in methods which do not use those particular types of apparatus. In addition, each of the features of each of the examples is intended to be separable from the features which it is described in combination with, unless it is expressly stated that some otherfeature is essential to its operation. Each of these separable features may of course be combined with any of the other features of the examples in which it is described, or with any of the other features or combination of features of any of the other examples described herein. Furthermore, equivalents and modifications not described above may also be employed without departing from the invention. Certain features of the methods described herein may be implemented in hardware, and one or more functions of the apparatus may be implemented in method steps. It will also be appreciated in the context of the present disclosure that the methods described herein need not be performed in the order in which they are described, nor necessarily in the order in which they are depicted in the drawings. Accordingly, aspects of the disclosure which are described with reference to products or apparatus are also intended to be implemented as methods and vice versa. The methods described herein may be implemented in computer programs, or in hardware or in any combination thereof. Computer programs include software, middleware, firmware, and any combination thereof. Such programs may be provided as signals or network messages and may be recorded on computer readable media such as tangible computer readable media which may store the computer programs in non-transitory form. Hardware includes computers, handheld devices, programmable processors, general purpose processors, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and arrays of logic gates. Any controller described herein may be provided by any control apparatus such as a general-purpose processor configured with a computer program product to program the processor to operate according to any one of the methods described herein. The functionality of the controller may be provided by an application specific integrated circuit, ASIC, or by a field programmable gate array, FPGA, or by a configuration of logic 5 gates, or by any other control apparatus. Other examples and variations of the disclosure will be apparent to the skilled addressee in the context of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A biological product preservation apparatus comprising:a container unit comprising a storage region for holding a liquid in which a biological product is to be preserved, andan agitator configured to agitate liquid disposed in the storage region of the container unit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the agitator comprises at least one agitator port configured to deliver a fluid to the storage region of the container unit to agitate the liquid therein.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the agitator is configured to deliver gas to the liquid in the storage region.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the agitator is configured to bubble gas up through the liquid in the storage region.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 or 4, wherein the agitator port is in a lower portion of the storage region.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the agitator port is in a base of the storage region.

7. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the biological product comprises bodytissue.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the apparatus comprises a fluid supply system configured to circulate fluid to the body tissue in the container unit; andwherein the container unit further comprises: (i) an inlet port for coupling to the fluid supply system to receive fluid therefrom, (ii) an outlet port coupled to the inlet port and couplable to body tissue in the storage region for delivering the fluid to said body tissue, and (iii) a passageway coupling the inlet port to the outlet port.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, as dependent on claim 2 or any claim dependent thereon, wherein the container unit comprises an agitator conduit coupling the inlet port to the agitator port, optionally wherein the agitator conduit is coupled to the passageway.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 or 9, wherein the passageway is external to the storage region of the container unit.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a liquid region within the passageway.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the container unit is configured to bubble gas through liquid in the liquid region prior to delivering that gas to the body tissue in the container unit.

13. The apparatus of any of claims 8 to 12, wherein the apparatus is a persufflation apparatus and wherein the fluid supply system comprises a persufflation gas supply system configured to supply persufflation gas to the body tissue in the container unit.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the agitator is configured to deliver at least some of the persufflation gas to the liquid in the storage region, thereby to provide said agitation.

15. The apparatus of claim 2, or any claim dependent thereon, further comprising an obstruction member within the storage region of the container unit, the obstruction member configured to inhibit excess movement of the body tissue within the storage region.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the obstruction member comprises a plurality of apertures sized to permit movement of liquid therethrough but to inhibit movement of the body tissue therethrough.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 or 16, wherein the obstruction member comprises one or more flanges configured to contact at least one wall of the container unit, optionally wherein the obstruction member is resilient.

18. The apparatus of any preceding claim, further comprising a base station wherein the base station comprises a container unit receiving portion arranged to receive the container unit.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the base station comprises a thermal energy store arranged to thermally couple with the container unit when the container unit is received in the container unit receiving portion.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein at least one surface of the container unit receivingportion is arranged to thermally couple the thermal energy store to a corresponding surface of the container unit.

21. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the agitator is located adjacent to at least one surface of the container unit.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, as dependent upon claim 20, wherein the agitator is located adjacent to said corresponding surface of the container unit.

23. A container unit for a biological product preservation apparatus, the container unit comprising:a storage region for holding a liquid in which a biological product is to be preserved; andan agitator configured to agitate liquid disposed in the storage region of the container unit.

24. A method of preserving a biological product, the method comprising:preserving the biological product in a liquid held in a storage region of a container unit;andagitating the liquid disposed in the storage region of the container unit.

25. A computer program product comprising computer program instructions configured to program a biological product preservation apparatus to implement the method of claim 24.s

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