Portable Perfusion Apparatus for Ex Vivo Tissue

A portable perfusion apparatus that cycles perfusate through ex vivo vertebrate tissues, enabling field deployment for preservation and training.
Problem:
Amputated extremities can lose viability before reattachment, especially in remote or traumatic settings. Existing perfusion machines may be too large for rapid deployment and are often limited to specialized facilities. Some systems are designed for organs like hearts or lungs and may not accommodate limbs. There is a need for a mobile system that preserves a wider range of ex vivo tissues, including extremities.
Solution:
The invention provides a mobile perfusion apparatus that stores ex vivo tissue in a container and cycles perfusate through it using a pump. The container includes an aperture sized for a target tissue such as a human extremity and can be configured for transport. Sensors, displays, and user controls support monitoring and adjustment of operating conditions. Methods include deploying the apparatus to emergency sites, transporting tissue to care facilities, and using the system for limb-reattachment training.
Technology:
The apparatus includes a rectangular container with an aperture and a sterile insert coupled to a side of the container. A pump drives perfusate through vessels/tubing connected to the ex vivo tissue, with collection and recirculation via a reservoir and recovery path. The system can include sensors for temperature, pressure, and flow rate, plus components such as an oxygenator and temperature regulator. Additional features can include infusion ports for additives, a warning system, an external display with user inputs, wheels/handles for mobility, and a removable rechargeable battery.
Advantages:

• Mobile, field-deployable preservation of ex vivo tissues, including extremities
• Integrated monitoring and control via sensors, external display, and alarms
• Sterility-supporting insert and configurable perfusate/additive handling for repeated use scenarios

Applications:

• Emergency extremity salvage: Preserve amputated limbs at an emergency site while transporting the perfusion apparatus and tissue to a medical facility.
• Vascularized composite allotransplantation support: Extend preservation time to enable transport of donor extremities over longer distances for transplantation workflows.
• Surgical skills training: Provide a realistic ex vivo limb platform for tests and training focused on extremity reattachment and evaluation of post-reattachment viability.
• Remote or mobile hospitals: Use a transportable perfusion system sized for vehicles to support tissue preservation in austere or mobile care environments.

Intellectual Property:

• US Patent Pending

Docket : 19-8915
Desired Partnerships:

• License
• Co-Development