Prototype isochoric preservation device for large organs.

This paper presents the design and prototype of a constant volume (isochoric) vessel that can be used for the preservation of large organs in a supercooled state. This prototype is a preliminary version of a more advanced design. The device consists of a cooling bath operated by a mechanical vapor compression refrigeration unit and an isochoric chamber made of stainless steel. The preservation of organs using supercooling technology in an isochoric chamber requires a continuous temperature and pressure monitoring. While the device was initially designed for pig liver experiments, its innovative design and preservation capabilities suggest potential applications for preserving other organs as well. The isochoric reactor may be used to accommodate a variety of organ types, opening the door for further research into its multi-organ preservation capabilities. All the design details are presented in this study with the purpose of encouraging researchers in the field to build their own devices, and by this to improve the design. We chose to design the device for isochoric supercooling as the method of preservation to avoid the ice formation.

Isochoric Supercooling Organ Preservation System.

This technical paper introduces a novel organ preservation system based on isochoric (constant volume) supercooling. The system is designed to enhance the stability of the metastable supercooling state, offering potential long-term preservation of large biological organs at subfreezing temperatures without the need for cryoprotectant additives. Detailed technical designs and usage protocols are provided for researchers interested in exploring this field. The paper also presents a control system based on the thermodynamics of isochoric freezing, utilizing pressure monitoring for process control. Sham experiments were performed using whole pig liver sourced from a local food supplier to evaluate the system's ability to sustain supercooling without ice nucleation for extended periods. The results demonstrated sustained supercooling without ice nucleation in pig liver tissue for 24 and 48 h. These findings suggest the potential of this technology for large-volume, cryoprotectant-free organ preservation with real-time control over the preservation process. The simplicity of the isochoric supercooling device and the design details provided in the paper are expected to serve as encouragement for other researchers in the field to pursue further research on isochoric supercooling. However, final evidence that these preserved organs can be successfully transplanted is still lacking.