Organ cooling apparatus and organ cooling method

Abstract

In the present invention, it becomes possible to suppress the putrefaction of an organ by cooling the organ in the body of a person who has expressed their decision to donate the organ, until the organ is isolated after the confirmed death of the person.　The organ cooling apparatus 1 includes: a flow passage part 2 that is placed in a dead body H; a cooling medium supply device 3 for supplying a cooling medium C into the flow passage part 2; and a blood circulation device 4 for circulating blood in the dead body H. The blood circulating in the dead body H by means of the blood circulation device 4 is cooled by the cooling medium C supplied from the cooling medium supply device 3 into the flow passage part 2. As a result, the organ in the dead body H is cooled through the blood.

Description

Organ cooling device and organ cooling method

[0001] The present invention relates to an organ cooling device and method.

[0002] For example, the preservation method of Patent Document 1 can be used as a method for preserving organs extracted from the corpse of an organ donor for transplantation into an organ transplant candidate (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 preserved by perfusing the coolant through the organ.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 08-247505

[0004] While the preservation method of Patent Document 1 can preserve organs removed from a corpse, it cannot preserve organs before removal from the corpse. Organ removal from a corpse is performed by a physician with specialized knowledge and skills. Therefore, if a physician is not present when the death of an organ donor is confirmed, organ removal from the corpse cannot be performed until the physician arrives. Even if a physician is present, if the environment for organ removal (such as an operating room or assistant) is not in place, organ removal from the corpse cannot be performed until the environment is in place. Thus, depending on the location of the organ donor's death, the presence or absence of a physician, and other factors, it may take a long time for the organs to be removed after the death of the organ donor is confirmed. Such cases are particularly likely to occur in cases of sudden death, accidental death, or other unexpected deaths.

[0005] If a long time passes between the confirmation of the death of an organ donor and the extraction of their organs, the heat emitted by the corpse during that time will cause the organs left inside the body to decay rapidly. As a result, by the time the organs are extracted, they may have deteriorated to the point where they are no longer suitable for transplantation, and they may no longer be available for transplantation.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and aims 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.

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

[0008] (1) An organ cooling device comprising: a flow path portion to be placed on a corpse; a refrigerant supply device that supplies a refrigerant into the flow path portion; and a blood circulation device that circulates the blood of the corpse, wherein 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 organs within the corpse via the blood.

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

[0010] (3) The organ cooling device according to (1) above, wherein the blood circulation device is a cardiac massager.

[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), wherein the flow path 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 of the corpse.

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

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

[0016] (9) The organ cooling device according to (8), wherein the melting point of the ice slurry is −25° C. or higher and 0° C. or lower.

[0017] (10) A method for cooling an organ, comprising: a flow path section placement step of placing a flow path section in 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, characterized in that the blood circulating within the corpse is cooled by the refrigerant supplied into the flow path section, thereby cooling the organs within the corpse via the blood.

[0018] The organ cooling device of the present invention comprises a flow path section 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 into the flow path section from the refrigerant supply device.

[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 cooled efficiently from within the body. This allows the organs to be cooled to the desired temperature in a shorter time and the cooled state to be maintained stably. As a result, putrefaction of the organs can be suppressed and the organs can be properly preserved until they are harvested.

[0020] Furthermore, the organ cooling device of the present invention can be used without medical procedures that are restricted to specific personnel such as doctors and nurses, and therefore has few restrictions on use, making it highly convenient.In addition, the device is compact, making it easy to carry and store.

[0021] The organ cooling method of the present invention comprises a flow path section arrangement step of arranging a flow path section in 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 cooled efficiently from within the body. This allows the organs to be cooled to the desired temperature in a shorter time and the cooled state to be maintained stably. As a result, putrefaction of the organs can be suppressed and the organs can be properly preserved until they are harvested.

[0023] Furthermore, the organ cooling method of the present invention can be used without medical procedures that are restricted to specific personnel such as doctors and nurses, and therefore has few restrictions on use, making it highly convenient. Furthermore, since it can be realized using a small, portable device, it is an organ cooling method that can be performed anywhere.

[0024] FIG. 1 is an overall view of an organ cooling apparatus according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a view showing a blood circulation device included in the organ cooling apparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a refrigerant supply device included in the organ cooling apparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a view showing a state in which a flow path unit included in the organ cooling apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is wrapped around a corpse. FIG. 5 is a view showing an example of a flow path unit. FIG. 6 is a view showing a state in which predetermined parts of the flow path unit are covered with insulating material. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the steps of an organ cooling method. FIG. 8 is a view showing a state in which a flow path unit included in an organ cooling apparatus according to a second embodiment is wrapped around a corpse. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the flow path unit is wrapped around the neck. FIG. 10 is an overall view of an organ cooling apparatus according to a third embodiment.

[0025] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An organ cooling device 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] 1 includes a flow path section 2 to be placed on a corpse H, particularly the corpse H of a person who has expressed their intention to donate an organ, a refrigerant supply device 3 that supplies a refrigerant C into the flow path section 2, and a blood circulation 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 circulation device 4, and further, the blood circulating in the corpse H is cooled by the refrigerant C supplied from the refrigerant supply 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, rather than from the surface of the body. This allows the organs to be cooled efficiently. Therefore, the organs can be cooled to the desired temperature in a shorter time, and the temperature of the organs can be maintained stably 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 only permitted for certain individuals, such as doctors and nurses. Therefore, it can be used even if no doctor or nurse is present at the time of the death of the organ donor. Therefore, it can be used 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.

[0029] For example, let us consider the case of a traffic accident. In Japan at the time of filing, emergency medical personnel are, in principle, unable to determine the death of a victim at the scene of an accident. However, if a situation arises in the future where such a determination becomes possible, the organ cooling device 1 can be loaded onto an ambulance heading to the scene of the accident. In this case, after confirming the death of the victim at the scene of the accident, emergency medical personnel can immediately begin using the organ cooling device 1 on the spot, if the victim is an organ donor. This shortens the time required to begin cooling the organs after the death of the organ donor, thereby effectively preventing organ decay.

[0030] 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) on the corpse H. By using the automatic cardiac massage machine as the blood circulation device 4 in this way, blood can be circulated within 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 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 also has belt loops (not shown). For example, when the corpse H is transported on a litter, the blood circulation device 4 can be secured to the litter by inserting the belt of the litter through the belt loops. This prevents the blood circulation device 4 from becoming detached or displaced from the corpse H during transport.

[0033] The arch portion 41 forms an arch shape between itself and the backboard 43 so as to surround the chest of the corpse H, and is positioned across the upper side of the chest of the corpse H. The arch portion 41 is connected to the vertical rod 42 at connection portions 411 located at both left and right ends. The connection portions 411 are ratchets that allow the arch portion 41 to be raised and lowered relative to the vertical rod 42. The center of the arch portion 41 is provided with an impact hammer 44 that protrudes downward, and an elevating mechanism 45 that moves the impact hammer 44 up and down. The impact hammer 44 is the part that is placed against the chest of the corpse H during cardiac massage (chest compression).

[0034] The blood circulation device 4 described above is used, for example, as follows: First, the backboard 43 is fixed to the litter using the litter's belt. Next, the corpse H is placed on the backboard 43 fixed to the litter. Next, the vertical rod 42 with the arch portion 41 attached is connected to the backboard 43. Next, the arch portion 41 is pressed 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 mechanical cardiac massage. As a result, blood is pumped out of the heart and circulates within the corpse H.

[0035] The blood circulation device 4 has been described above, but 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 electric cardiac massage.

[0036] 3, the refrigerant supply device 3 has a highly insulating housing 30. Inside the housing 30 are provided a storage section 31 that stores the refrigerant C, a pump 32 that supplies the refrigerant C stored in the storage section 31 to the flow path section 2 and circulates the refrigerant C, and a battery 33 that operates the pump 32. By providing the housing 30 with high thermal insulation, it is possible to effectively suppress a rise in the temperature of the refrigerant C inside.

[0037] The housing 30 also 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 portion 31 or the refrigerant can be removed from the storage portion 31. The housing 30 also has a supply path 301 formed therein, the supply path 301 including a supply-side connection port 301a for connecting one end of the flow path portion 2 (an end on the inlet side of the refrigerant C) and a supply-side path 301b connecting the supply-side connection port 301a and the storage portion 31, and a recovery path 302 including a recovery-side connection port 302a for connecting the other end of the flow path portion 2 (an end on the outlet side of the refrigerant C) and a recovery-side path 302b connecting the recovery-side connection port 302a and the storage portion 31. A pump 32 is provided midway along the supply-side path 301b.

[0038] In this refrigerant supply 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 2, and the refrigerant C circulates between the reservoir 31 and the flow path 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 electrical 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] Furthermore, the raw material for the ice slurry I is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, salt water (brine) is used. 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. Furthermore, the melting point of the ice slurry I can be easily adjusted by simply adjusting the salt concentration. Therefore, ice slurry I with a desired melting point can be easily produced. Furthermore, the manufacturing cost of the ice slurry I can be reduced. In addition to salt water, the raw material for the ice slurry I can also be, for example, water, sugar water, an aqueous NaOH solution, Ca(OH) ２ An aqueous solution, ethylene glycol, etc. may be used. Of course, raw materials other than these may also be used.

[0041] The melting point of the ice slurry I (freezing point of saltwater) 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 within this range, the organs within the corpse H can be cooled to a lower temperature without freezing. Therefore, the organs within 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 due to the action of latent heat until the ice component melts. Because the heat of fusion required to turn a solid into a liquid is higher than the specific heat of the liquid, the organs of the corpse H can be kept cooled for a longer period of time.

[0043] - Flow path section 2 - As shown in Figure 4, the flow path section 2 is placed on the corpse H. Specifically, the flow path section 2 is a flexible tubular body that is wrapped around the corpse H. Then, with the flow path section 2 wrapped around the corpse H, a refrigerant C is supplied from the refrigerant supply device 3 into the flow path section 2, whereby heat exchange occurs between the refrigerant C and the blood in the corpse H, cooling the blood, and the cooled blood cools the organs in the corpse H. 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 within 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, allowing the blood to 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 that it is in firm contact with the body surface at at least one of the three major local cooling areas. The three major local cooling areas are the sides of the anterior neck H1 (the left and right sides of the front of the neck), the axillary regions H2 (the armpits), and the groin region H3 (the front of the groin). The three major local cooling areas are areas where large veins flow near the body surface, and can cool a large amount of blood (venous blood) in a short period of time. Therefore, the organs within the corpse H can be cooled efficiently and in a short period of time. However, there are no particular limitations on the location where the flow path section 2 is wrapped around the corpse H, as long as it can cool the blood.

[0045] The flow path section 2 is not particularly limited, but, for example, as shown in FIG. 5 , a metal corrugated hose made of a metal such as stainless steel can be suitably used. A metal corrugated hose is flexible and has the ability to maintain its shape after deformation. Therefore, the flow path section 2 can be easily wrapped around the corpse H and can maintain the wrapped state. This effectively prevents the flow path section 2 from loosening and separating from the body surface of the corpse H after wrapping around the corpse H. Furthermore, a metal corrugated hose is less likely to twist or collapse when wrapped around the corpse H, effectively preventing clogging of the refrigerant C. Furthermore, a metal corrugated hose has high thermal conductivity, which increases the heat exchange efficiency between the refrigerant C supplied to the flow path section 2 and the blood of the corpse H. Therefore, the blood in the corpse H can be efficiently cooled.

[0046] 6, the flow path section 2 may be covered with a heat insulating material 5 in areas other than the area wrapped around the corpse H. This effectively suppresses heat exchange between the refrigerant C and anything other than the blood. This extends the cooling time of the refrigerant C, 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 the necessary areas 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 in a C-shape.

[0047] In addition to a metal corrugated hose, a hose made of, for example, a rubber material, a resin material, or the like can be used as the flow path portion 2. Furthermore, a hose in which a cylindrical lining made of, for example, a rubber material, a resin material, or the like is covered with a cylindrical woven fabric (jacket) on the outer periphery can also be used as the flow path portion 2. Such a flow path portion 2 may be a flat hose that collapses flat, or a shape-retaining hose that maintains its cross-sectional shape. In particular, a flat hose provides the flow path portion 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 using such a diameter, the flow path section 2 can be easily wrapped around the corpse H and a gap is less likely to form 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, which may increase the number of times the flow path section 2 is wrapped around the corpse H depending on the location, thereby lengthening the time required for attachment. Furthermore, depending on the fluidity of the refrigerant C, the refrigerant C may easily clog the flow path section 2. Conversely, if the inner diameter of the flow path section 2 exceeds 70 mm, the flow path section 2 becomes too thick, which may make it difficult to wrap around the corpse H depending on the location, or may easily create a gap between the flow path section 2 and the body surface.

[0049] The above describes the configuration of the organ cooling device 1. Next, a method of using the organ cooling device 1, i.e., a method of cooling an organ using the organ cooling device 1, will be described. As shown in Figure 7, the organ cooling method using the organ cooling device 1 includes a blood circulation device mounting step S1 in which the blood circulation device 4 is mounted on a corpse H, a flow path section arranging step S2 in which the flow path section 2 is disposed on the corpse H, a refrigerant supplying step S3 in which ice slurry I is supplied into the flow path section 2, and a blood circulating step S4 in which the blood of the corpse H is circulated. The blood circulating within the corpse H is cooled by the ice slurry I supplied into the flow path section 2, thereby cooling the organs within the corpse H via the blood.

[0050] -Blood Circulation Apparatus Mounting Step S1- In the blood circulator mounting step S1, the blood circulator 4 is mounted on the corpse H as described above.

[0051] - Flow path section placement step S2 - In the flow path section placement step S2, first, the flow path section 2 is wrapped around a predetermined location on the corpse H. As described above, it is preferable to wrap the flow path section 2 around the anterior neck region H1, the axilla region H2, and the groin region H3, which are the three major local cooling regions of the corpse H. 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, wrapping the flow path section 2 around the corpse H before connecting it to the blood circulation device 4 makes it easier to wrap the flow path section 2 around the corpse H. Next, if necessary, necessary locations of the flow path section 2 are covered with insulating material 5.

[0052] However, the procedure for 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, 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 insulating material 5 may be performed after the start of blood circulation step S4. The work of covering the necessary parts of the flow path section 2 with the insulating material 5 is not essential for starting organ cooling. Therefore, by prioritizing the start of organ cooling first and then covering the necessary parts of the flow path section 2 with the insulating material 5 after the start of organ cooling, the time from the death of the organ donor to the start of organ cooling can be shortened.

[0053] - Refrigerant Supply Step S3 - In refrigerant supply step S3, the pump 32 of the refrigerant 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, heat is exchanged between the ice slurry I flowing inside the flow path section 2 and the blood of the corpse H at the part of the flow path section 2 wrapped around the corpse H, and the blood is cooled.

[0054] -Blood Circulation Step S4- In blood circulation step S4, the blood circulation device 4 is driven to massage the heart of the corpse H, circulating the blood within the corpse H. As a result, the blood cooled in the three major local cooling sections circulates throughout the body of the corpse H, and the organs within the corpse H are cooled.

[0055] As described above, the organ cooling method of this embodiment cools the organs in the corpse H via the blood, and therefore the organs can be cooled efficiently 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 they can be appropriately preserved while maintaining their freshness until they are removed from the corpse H.

[0056] Furthermore, the organ cooling device 1 can be attached to the corpse H and used without the need for medical procedures that are only permitted for certain individuals such as doctors and nurses, and can therefore be used even if no doctor or nurse is present at the time of the death of the organ donor. Therefore, the device can be used 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.

[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 attachment step S1 and the flow path unit arrangement step S2, or between the flow path unit arrangement step S2 and the refrigerant supply step S3.

[0058] The above describes the organ cooling device 1 and organ cooling method. As described above, the organ cooling device 1 includes a flow path 2 placed on the corpse H, a refrigerant supply device 3 that supplies refrigerant C into the flow path 2, and a blood circulation device 4 that circulates the blood of the corpse H. The blood circulating within the corpse H by the blood circulation device 4 is cooled by the refrigerant C supplied from the refrigerant supply device 3 into the flow path 2, thereby cooling the organs within the corpse H via the blood. By forcibly circulating the blood of the corpse H using the blood circulation device 4 and cooling the organs within the corpse H via the blood, the organs within the corpse H can be efficiently cooled from within the body. Therefore, the organs can be cooled to a desired temperature in a shorter time, and the temperature of the organs can be maintained stably thereafter until the organs are removed. As a result, putrefaction of the organs can be suppressed and the organs can be appropriately preserved and kept fresh until they are removed from the corpse H. Furthermore, the organ cooling device 1 can be attached to the corpse H and used without requiring medical intervention, which is restricted to specific personnel such as doctors and nurses. Therefore, it can be used even if a doctor or nurse is not present when an organ donor dies. Therefore, it is a device that can be started immediately in the event of an unexpected death in a situation where a doctor or nurse is not present, such as sudden death or accidental death.

[0059] As described above, the flow path section 2 is flexible and can be 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, thereby allowing the blood to be cooled efficiently.

[0060] As described above, the blood circulation device 4 is a cardiac massager, which allows the blood of the corpse H to circulate more reliably.

[0061] As described above, the flow path section 2 is wrapped around the front neck H1 of the corpse H. This allows the blood to be cooled efficiently.

[0062] As described above, the flow path section 2 is wrapped around the armpit 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 allows the blood to be cooled efficiently.

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

[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 its temperature near its melting point due to the action of latent heat until the ice components melt. Because 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 mentioned above, the melting point of ice slurry I is between −6° C. and 0° C. This allows the organs of corpse H to be cooled to a lower temperature without freezing them. This allows the organs of corpse H to be preserved in a fresher state.

[0067] The organ cooling method also includes a flow path section arrangement step S2 of arranging the flow path section 2 in the corpse H, a refrigerant supply step S3 of supplying the refrigerant C into the flow path section 2, and a blood circulation step S4 of circulating the blood of the corpse H. The blood circulating within the corpse H is cooled by the refrigerant C supplied into the flow path section 2, thereby cooling the organs within the corpse H via the blood. In this manner, by forcibly circulating the blood of the corpse H using the blood circulation device 4 and cooling the organs within the corpse H via the blood, the organs within the corpse H can be efficiently cooled from within the body. Therefore, the organs can be cooled to a desired temperature in a shorter time, and the temperature of the organs can be maintained stably thereafter until the organs are removed. As a result, the organs can be appropriately preserved while preventing decay until they are removed from the corpse H. Furthermore, this method can be performed without the need for medical procedures that are only permitted to certain individuals, such as doctors and nurses. Therefore, it can be performed even if a doctor, nurse, or other such person is not present at the time of the death of the organ donor.

[0068] Second Embodiment The organ cooling device 1 according to this embodiment is the same as the organ cooling device 1 according to the first embodiment, except for the configuration of the flow path section 2. In the following description, differences between this embodiment and the first embodiment will be mainly described, and similar points will not be described again. In each drawing of this embodiment, the same components as those in the previous embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0069] 8, the flow path portion 2 has five cuffs 211, 212, 213, 214, and 215, and six flexible connection paths 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, and 226 that connect these 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 formed 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 refrigerant supply device 3 and the supply port of the cuff 211 are connected by a connection path 221, the outlet of the cuff 211 and the supply port of the cuff 212 are connected by a connection path 222, the outlet of the cuff 212 and the supply port of the cuff 213 are connected by a connection path 223, the outlet of the cuff 213 and the supply port of the cuff 214 are connected by a connection path 224, the outlet of the cuff 214 and the supply port of the cuff 215 are connected by a connection path 225, and the outlet of the cuff 215 is connected to the recovery side connection port 302a of the refrigerant supply device 3 by a connection path 226. Therefore, the ice slurry I supplied from the refrigerant supply device 3 to the flow path portion 2 circulates through the cuffs 211, 212, 213, 214, and 215 in order.

[0071] The cuff 211 cools the blood in the anterior 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 secures the cuff 211 in a state where it is wrapped around the neck of the corpse H. The cuff 211 expands when ice slurry I is supplied to the inside of the cuff 211, and comes into close contact with the anterior 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 anterior neck H1, and the blood is efficiently cooled.

[0072] The cuffs 212, 213 cool the blood in the axillary region H2 of the corpse H. The cuffs 212, 213 are clamped between both sides of the corpse H. The cuffs 212, 213 expand when ice slurry I is supplied thereinto, and come into close contact with the axillary region H2. Therefore, heat is efficiently exchanged between the ice slurry I in the cuffs 212, 213 and the blood of the corpse H in the axillary region H2, 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 base of both legs of the corpse H. The cuffs 214, 215 are equipped with hook-and-loop fasteners (not shown), and the hook-and-loop fasteners secure the cuffs in place when wrapped around the base of the legs of the corpse H. The cuffs 214, 215 expand when ice slurry I is supplied thereinto, and come into close contact with the groin H3. Therefore, heat is efficiently exchanged between the ice slurry I in the cuffs 214, 215 and the blood of the corpse H in the groin H3, 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 supply 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 supply device 3. Furthermore, the cuff 211 may be branched into cuffs 212 and 214 on the left half of the body and cuffs 213 and 215 on the right half of the body. Furthermore, at least one of the cuffs 211, 212, 213, 214, and 215 may be omitted, or at least one or more cuffs may be added to be placed on parts of the corpse H other than those mentioned above.

[0076] <Third embodiment> The organ cooling device 1 according to this embodiment is the same as the organ cooling device 1 according to the first embodiment described above, except for the configuration of the refrigerant supply device 3. In the following description, differences between this embodiment and the first embodiment will be mainly described, and similar points will not be described again. In each drawing of this embodiment, the same components as those in the previous embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0077] The organ cooling device 1 of this embodiment uses a liquefied gas 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 where the refrigerant C is supplied) is connected to the refrigerant supply device 3, and the other end (the end where 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 this organ cooling device 1, heat is exchanged between the liquefied gas supplied into the flow path 2 and the blood of the corpse H, cooling the blood, and the cooled blood then cools the organs within the corpse H. The liquefied gas used for heat exchange with the blood is released to the atmosphere via valve B, for example, in an at least partially vaporized state.

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

[0081] In this embodiment, the downstream side of the flow path 2 is open to the atmosphere, but this is not limiting and the gas may be connected to a re-liquefaction device (refrigerating machine) to re-liquefy the evaporated gas and reuse it, thereby eliminating the need for replenishment of liquefied gas.

[0082] While the organ cooling device and organ cooling method of the present invention have been described above based on the illustrated embodiments, the present invention is not limited to these, and the configuration of each part can be replaced with any configuration having a similar function. Furthermore, any other components or processes may be added to the present invention.

[0083] The cooling device of the present invention includes a flow path portion disposed on a corpse, a refrigerant supply device that supplies a refrigerant into the flow path portion, and a blood circulation device that circulates the blood of the corpse. 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. This invention allows organs to 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, organ decay can be suppressed and the organs can be appropriately preserved until they are harvested. Furthermore, the cooling device of the present invention can be used without medical procedures restricted to certain personnel, such as doctors and nurses, thereby providing fewer usage restrictions and greater convenience. Furthermore, the compact device allows for easy portability and storage. Therefore, the cooling device and cooling method of the present invention have industrial applicability.

[0084] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...organ cooling device, 2...flow path section, 211...cuff, 212...cuff, 213...cuff, 214...cuff, 215...cuff, 221...connecting path, 222...connecting path, 223...connecting path, 224...connecting path, 225...connecting path, 226...connecting 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 portion, 411...Connecting portion, 42...Vertical rod, 43...Backboard, 44...Impact hammer, 45...Lifting mechanism, 5...Insulating material, B...Valve, C...Refrigerant, H...Cadaver, H1...Front neck, H2...Axillary region, H3...Inguinal region, I...Ice slurry, S1...Blood circulation device mounting step, S2...Flow path portion arrangement step, S3...Refrigerant supply step, S4...Blood circulation step

Claims

1. An organ cooling device comprising: a flow path portion placed on a corpse; a refrigerant supply device which supplies a refrigerant into the flow path portion; and a blood circulation device which circulates the blood of the corpse, wherein 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 organs within the corpse via the blood.

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

3. The organ cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the blood circulation device is a heart massage machine.

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

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

6. 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 device according to claim 1, wherein the coolant supplying device circulates the coolant within the flow path portion.

8. The organ cooling device according to claim 7, wherein the refrigerant is an ice slurry, and the refrigerant supply 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.

9. An organ cooling device according to claim 8, wherein the melting point of the ice slurry is -25°C or higher and 0°C or lower.

10. A method for cooling an organ comprising: a flow path section arrangement step of arranging a flow path section in 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, characterized in that the blood circulating within the corpse is cooled by the refrigerant supplied into the flow path section, thereby cooling organs within the corpse via the blood.

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