SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR EX-VIVO ORGAN CARE AND FOR USING LACTATE AS AN INDICATION OF DONOR ORGAN STATUS

摘要

The invention provides, in various embodiments, systems, devices and meth ods relating to ex-vivo organ care. In certain embodiments, the invention re lates to maintaining an organ ex- vivo at near-physiologic conditions. The p resent application describes a method for using lactate measurement in the a rterial and the venous blood lines of the Organ Care System Heart perfusion device to evaluate the: 1) The overall perfusion status of an isolated heart and 2) The metabolic status of an isolated heart and 3) the overall vascula r patency of an isolated donor heart. This aspect of the present invention u ses the property of myocardial cell's unique ability to produce/generate lac tate when they are starved for oxygen and metabolize/utilize lactate for ene rgy production when they are well perfused with oxygen.