FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to control and enhance antioxidant functions in the process of transplanting and/or storing human organs and transplants and to electron source, apparatus and method that reduce oxidative stress in organ transplants.

BACKGROUND

Organ donation is the process of surgically removing an organ or tissue from one person (the organ donor) and placing it into another person (the recipient). Transplantation is necessary because the recipient's organ has failed or has been damaged by disease or injury. Many different types of organs can be transplanted, including the liver, kidney, pancreas, heart, lung, etc.

The majority of human organs around the world are still transferred between donor and recipient using a large cooler box filled with ice, with little advancement since the first successful heart transplant in the1960s. Despite its widespread use and broad applicability, this method comes with significant limitations. A heart, for example, can typically only be preserved for a maximum of four hours, with this figure dropping to two hours if surgeons want optimal transplant results.

SUMMARY

Oxidants are produced as components of the normal metabolism of all cells. Highly reactive species of oxygen play a critical role in vascular disorders, in inflammatory disease, and aging processes.

An aspect of the invention deals with the phenomena associated with highly reactive oxygen species (hydroxy, peroxy, alkoxy, aroxy, and superoxide radicals as well as singlet oxygen) and their peroxidation products (hydrogen peroxide, hydroperoxides, and epoxides). The reactions of these species and the interrelationship of oxygen radicals and their products are of great importance in bio-systems. As a consequence, these reactions have to be controlled to minimize the adverse effects of oxygen radicals and their products in human organs.

An aspect of the invention provides an antioxydizing mechanism, and provides methods that protect against free radicals as well as other products in vitro and in vivo. This antioxydizing mechanism is able to prevent damage to organ(s) that are prepared for transplantation, by maintaining the quality of transplanted organs and extending their “shelf life”.

An aspect of the invention relates to an electron source for organ transplants.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for organ transplants.

Another aspect relates to a vessel for holding, storing and/or transporting an organ that is intended for transplant.

Another aspect relates to maintaining an organ for transplant.

According to an aspect of the invention, a method of reducing oxidative stress without depleting the electron content of an organ to be transplanted includes the steps of: placing a human organ within a medium containing a volumetric body, and applying an electric current of sufficient magnitude, to create a reducing environment, to flow through said organ to be transplanted, to provide said reducing environment in which the human organ is held, wherein said applying the electric current comprising supplying free electrons for absorption by said human organ.

Embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following additional features, alone or in any combination.

The transplanting medium may be in a liquid state.

The electric current may be provided by an electric circuit integrally attached to said volumetric body.

The electric current may be a low voltage DC current.

The voltage during the applying the electric current may be in the range of 1 to 1.5 volts.

The current during the applying the electric current may be in the range of 0.1 to 900 milliamps.

The electric current may be provided by a solar cell.

The electric current may be provided by a thermocouple.

The electric current may be provided by a device showing an electrochemical potentiostat.

According to another aspect of the invention, in a method of an organ to be transplanted in a transplanting process, the improvement comprising during organ transplanting supplying the transplanting organ with electrical input that provides the organ with an excess of electrons, said supplying comprising using electrodes to couple low voltage DC electrical energy, of sufficient magnitude to create a reducing environment to the organs or medium in which the organ is held to supply the excess electrons.

Embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following additional features, alone or in any combination.

The voltage during the applying the electric current may be in the range of 1 to 1.5 volts, and the current may be in the range of 0.1 to 900 milliamps.

The improvement may further comprise supplying the organ with electrons while simultaneously transplanting organs.

The using electrodes may comprises placing the organ into engagement with the electrodes.

The placing may comprise using the organ to complete a circuit between electrodes.

One or more of the foregoing method steps may be applied to the storing place of the organ in order to prolong life time.

One or more of the foregoing method steps may be applied to the human transporting container in order to prolong life-time of the organ.

The following description and the annexed drawings set forth certain illustrative embodiments of the invention. These embodiments are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed. Other objects, advantages and novel features according to aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.

