Methods and solutions for storing donor organs

Abstract

A method of preserving, storing and transplanting mammalian donor organs. The method includes the cooling of refrigeration preservation, loading pre-freezer preservation, cryopreservation and washing solutions at least containing polyvinylpyrrolidone, a calcium channel blocker, a nucleoside, potassium chloride, polyethylene glycol, at least one amino acid, and a steroid to a temperature of 2° to 4° C. and/or of 0° to 2° C., harvesting a donor organ, perfusing it with one or more of the solution, immersing it in one or more of the solutions and storing it at a temperature above 0° C. or at a temperatures below 0° C. The cryopreservation solution also contains cryopreservative agents. Preserved organs may be transplanted directly from refrigeration storage or from freezer storage by cooling the washing refrigeration preservation solutions to 2° to 4° C., perfusing the organ with washing solution and then preservation solution, and transplanting it.

1 . A method of preserving mammalian donor organs or tissues at refrigeration temperatures comprising: 
 cooling a refrigeration preservation solution at least containing polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP-40), a calcium channel blocker, a nucleoside, potassium chloride, polyethylene glycol, at least one amino acid, and a steroid to a temperature between 2° and 4° C.;    harvesting a donor organ;    perfusing the donor organ with the refrigeration preservation solution;    immersing the donor organ in refrigeration preservation solution; and    storing the donor organ in the refrigeration preservation solution at a refrigeration temperature above 0° C.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the calcium ion flux inhibitor is verapamil.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the nucleoside is adenosine.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the amino acid or amino acids are selected from a group consisting of N-acetylcysteine, glycine, arginine, proline, glutamate, serine, alanine, histidine, leucine, methionine, phenylalanine and tryptophan.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the steroid is dexamethasone.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the donor organ is a mammalian heart, liver, kidney, pancreas or any other organ or tissue.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the refrigeration preservation solution has a pH between 7.0 and 7.5.  
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , including the further steps of 
 removing the preserved donor organ from a refrigeration temperature above 0° C.; and    transplanting it.    
     
     
         9 - 23 . (canceled)