Expandable Lung Pressure Control During Donor Organ Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for preserving and transporting bodily tissue, particularly lungs, are limited by time constraints due to oxygen deprivation, pressure changes during transport, and anatomical mismatch, leading to tissue damage and reduced viability.
Innovation Solution
The use of expandable accumulators to maintain constant pressure within lungs during transport, combined with anatomically correct storage geometries, and compatible perfusion systems to oxygenate tissues, ensuring stable pressure and orientation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If lungs are inflated with air and trachea/bronchus are stapled to hold air during storage and transport, then lungs can maintain inflation, but pressure changes during flight cause over-inflation and tissue damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic pressure equalization system where the lung is connected to a pressure-regulated reservoir through a valve mechanism. This allows the system to dynamically adjust and equalize pressure between the lung interior and exterior environments, preventing over-inflation during altitude changes while maintaining necessary lung inflation for viability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates pressure sensors that continuously monitor the pressure differential across the lung tissue and provide feedback to a control mechanism. This feedback loop enables automatic adjustment of the pressure equalization valve to maintain safe pressure levels within the lung during transport, preventing barotrauma from altitude-induced pressure changes.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If hypothermic temperatures are used to preserve tissue, then oxygen demand decreases, but edema accumulates and viability is still time-limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes a perfusion system that delivers oxygenated fluid through the lung's vascular bed using hydraulic principles. This extracorporeal perfusion provides direct oxygen delivery to tissue cells, bypassing the need for metabolic oxygen consumption, thereby extending viability duration without the edema-causing effects of prolonged hypothermic storage.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If known hypothermic perfusion devices are used to supply oxygen, then tissue viability is prolonged, but devices are large, complex, and require significant compressed gas and electrical power
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and isolates the essential function of oxygen delivery from complex perfusion machinery by using a simplified system where oxygen is delivered through a portable tank connected via regulator and tubing directly to the lung's airways. This removes unnecessary complexity while maintaining the core viability-extending function.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs passive cooling methods and gravity-assisted perfusion where possible, reducing reliance on active electrical components. The oxygen delivery system uses self-regulating pressure mechanisms and the perfusion fluid circulation leverages natural convection and gravity, minimizing the need for complex electrical controls and power consumption.
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
Enhances tissue viability by preventing over-inflation and damage, allowing for better tissue matching and increased survival rates during transport.
Implementation Method 1
expandable accumulators to maintain constant pressure within lungs during transport
Implementation Method 2
hypothermic perfusion devices that can perfuse the tissue with oxygenated perfusate, supplying additional oxygen to the tissue's cells
Implementation Method 3
The most prevalent current technique for preserving a bodily tissue for transplantation is static cold storage. While hypothermic temperatures decrease the oxygen demand of the bodily tissue
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods of the invention generally relate to prolonging viability of bodily tissue, especially lung tissue, through the use of an expandable accumulator to maintain a constant pressure within the lumen of the organ even during external pressure fluctuations due to, for example, flight. Systems and methods may include prolonging donor organ viability in storage through the use of an organ container that mimics the geometry and orientation of the organ in vivo.