Ex Vivo Organ Purification Kit with Fractionation Filter

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing devices for ex vivo lung perfusion do not effectively eliminate cell waste, cell elements, and inflammatory substances from explanted organs, leading to organ dysfunction and transplant failure.

Innovation Solution

A kit comprising a fractionation filter with a cut-off range of 80,000 to 800,000 Da and an absorption cartridge, along with fluid connection means, is used to purify explanted organs by retaining cell fragments and inflammatory substances, allowing cytokines to pass through, thereby conditioning the organs for reimplantation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional EVLP devices are used to perfuse explanted organs, then the organs can be temporarily maintained, but cell waste, cell elements and inflammatory substances are not eliminated, leading to organ dysfunction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransplant success rateVSAvoidinflammatory substances and cell waste
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and removes harmful substances (inflammatory cytokines, cell elements, and waste products) from the perfusion liquid through a specialized filter system. The filter selectively retains these harmful factors while allowing beneficial substances to pass, thereby eliminating the source of organ dysfunction and improving transplant reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The filter acts as an intermediary component between the perfusion liquid and the organ. It mediates the interaction by selectively allowing certain substances to pass while blocking harmful factors, thus protecting the organ from inflammatory damage while maintaining necessary perfusion functions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If no filtration system is used during EVLP, then the device complexity is low, but harmful inflammatory substances accumulate and cause organ deterioration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveorgan function maintenanceVSAvoidfiltration system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention employs porous filter materials with specific pore sizes and molecular weight cut-offs (80,000-800,000 Da) to selectively retain inflammatory substances and cell elements. The porous structure allows the filter to capture harmful factors while maintaining fluid flow and not interfering with essential perfusion functions, achieving purification without excessive complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

3Object-generated harmful factors

If a filtration system with high retention capability is used, then harmful substances are eliminated, but the device complexity and operational difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinflammatory substance removalVSAvoiddevice operation simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The invention combines multiple filtration functions (size-based filtration, molecular weight-based filtration, and adsorption) into a single integrated filter unit. This merging of functions allows the device to eliminate harmful substances effectively while maintaining ease of operation, as the user only needs to connect the single filter to the perfusion circuit without managing multiple separate filtration components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The kit effectively removes cytokines, inflammation mediators, and cell elements, improving organ function and increasing the success rate of transplants by eliminating harmful substances that cause organ deterioration.

Implementation Method 1

a separation means comprising at least one fractionation filter and an absorption cartridge (5), in which said fractionation filter has a cut-off in the range from 80,000 to 800,000 Da

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFractionation: Fractionation

Implementation Method 2

an absorption cartridge (5), in which said fractionation filter has a cut-off in the range from 80,000 to 800,000 Da and is positioned upstream of said absorption cartridge

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Data Source

PatentEP3673734B1Kit for ex-vivo conditioning and purification of an explanted organ
Publication Date: 2022.12.28 AFERETICA
  • EP3673734B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3673734B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The present invention concerns a kit (1) for ex vivo conditioning and purification of an explanted organ comprising: connection means from and to said organ (12); fluid connection means (2); a fractionation filter (4) and an absorption cartridge (5), in which the fractionation filter (4) has a cut-off ranging from 80,000 to 800,000 Da and is positioned upstream of said absorption cartridge (5). The kit advantageously further comprises a pump (3). A plasma filter with a pore diameter from 0.2 to 0.6 micron may be provided upstream of the fractionation filter in order to prevent clogging thereof.