Patent Description:
In organ transplant operations, an organ removed from a donor is preserved under cooled conditions. This is because, if the organ is left at ordinary temperatures and the blood flowing from and to the organ is stopped, i.e., if the organ has got into a so-called warm ischemic state, the organ becomes easy to deteriorate due to metabolism in the organ, and the risk of occurrence of postoperative disorders will increase. Specifically, the temperature of the organ is kept low through procedures such as pouring a low-temperature preservation solution into the isolated organ or directly spraying ice-slush saline around the organ. This suppresses organ metabolism.

However, in the transplantation of an organ into a recipient, the organ is placed in the body cavity of the recipient and undergoes procedures such as vascular anastomosis. At this time, the organ cannot be kept under cooled conditions, so that the temperature of the organ rises due to the body temperature of the recipient or the outside air temperature and the organ gradually gets into a warm ischemic state. Hence, a surgeon who is carrying out the transplant operation has to perform procedures such as vascular anastomosis within a period of time as short as possible or to keep the organ to be transplanted under low-temperature conditions through, for example, pouring ice or other materials into the abdominal cavity. In the latter case, not only the organ but also the surgeon's fingertips will be cooled at the same time, and this becomes disadvantageous for vascular anastomosis that requires high precision.

In view of this, the inventors of the present application have proposed a technique disclosed in <CIT>, in which in the transplantation of an organ into a recipient, a sheet having a thermal insulating function is inserted between the recipient and the organ so as to suppress a temperature rise in the organ. The sheet according to <CIT> includes an insulating layer and two waterproofing layers that are face-bonded to the opposite sides of the insulating layer.

However, the sheet according to <CIT> does not completely cover the organ. Thus, portions of the surface of the organ that are not covered with the sheet may become deteriorated due to a temperature rise or may become damaged due to the application of some sort of impacts to the organ. <CIT> discloses an organ container according to the preamble of claim <NUM>. A further prior art document is <CIT>.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an organ container that suppresses a temperature rise in an organ, reduces damage to the organ caused by the application of some sort of impacts to the organ, and further facilitates the surgeon's handling of the organ container during the transplantation of the organ into a recipient. This object is achieved by the subject-matter of claim <NUM>. Preferred embodiments are subject-matters of the dependent claims. The invention is as defined in claim <NUM>, wherein aspects of the invention are set out below.

A first aspect of the present application is an organ container for storing an organ. The organ container includes a pouch-shaped body having an opening and capable of storing an organ that is inserted from the opening into an inner space. The body is formed of a styrene elastomer and has an inner surface and an outer surface, each having an uneven shape.

According to the first aspect of the present application, the use of the organ container including the pouch-shaped body formed of a styrene elastomer to store an organ suppresses a temperature rise in the organ caused by the body temperature of a recipient or the outside air temperature and reduces damage to the organ caused by the application of some sort of impacts to the organ. Besides, the uneven shape of the inner surface of the body allows a low-temperature preservation solution to be held in the interstices between the organ and the inner surface of the body and thereby improves insulation effectiveness of the organ. Moreover, the uneven shape of the outer surface of the body facilitates the surgeon's handling of the organ container and improves workability during operation or during transport of the organ container.

In the present application, "donors" and "recipients" may be humans, or may be non-human animals. That is, "organs" according to the present application may be human organs, or may be organs of non-human animals. The non-human animals may be rodents such as mice and rats, ungulates such as pigs, goats, and sheep, non-human primates such as chimpanzees, or other non-human mammals, or may also be nonmammalian animals.

<FIG> is a perspective view of an organ container <NUM> according to Embodiment <NUM>. <FIG> is a top view of the organ container <NUM>. <FIG> and <FIG> are longitudinal sectional views of the organ container <NUM>. Specifically, <FIG> is a longitudinal sectional view of the organ container <NUM> when viewed from a position A-A' indicated by arrows in <FIG>. <FIG> is a longitudinal sectional view of the organ container <NUM> when viewed from a position B-B' indicated by arrows in <FIG>. The organ container <NUM> is a container for temporarily storing an organ removed from a donor in a transplant operation of transplanting the organ into a recipient. That is, the organ container <NUM> is a medical appliance for use in organ transplant operations.

Examples of the organ to be stored in the organ container <NUM> include a kidney, a heart, and a lung. These organs have their blood vessels concentrated on one side of the organs, the blood vessels being to be anastomosed in transplant operations. The structure of the organ container <NUM> according to the present embodiment is in particular suitable for such organs. However, the organ container according to the present invention may also be configured to store other organs such as a liver.

In the following description, an up-down direction is defined such that the side of the organ container <NUM> on which an opening <NUM> described later is located is regarded as the upper side, and the bottom side of the organ container <NUM> opposite to the opening <NUM> is regarded as the lower side. Hereinafter, as illustrated in <FIG>, the up-down direction is also referred to as a z direction, a direction along the long sides of the organ container <NUM> when viewed in the z direction is referred to as an x direction, and a direction along the short sides of the organ container <NUM> when viewed in the z direction is referred to as a y direction. This definition of the up-down direction does not intend to limit the orientation of the organ container <NUM> during use.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the organ container <NUM> includes a contractible and expandable pouch-shaped body <NUM>. The body <NUM> is made of a single seamless material. Alternatively, the body <NUM> may be formed in a pouch shape by suturing, bonding, or welding two or more materials. The body <NUM> has an opening <NUM> and a thick portion <NUM>. The body <NUM> is capable of storing an organ that is inserted from the opening <NUM> into an inner space S of the body <NUM>. The thick portion <NUM> entirely surrounds the opening <NUM>.

The organ container <NUM> according to the present embodiment has a generally ellipsoidal shape as a whole. That is, the body <NUM> has a generally ellipsoidal shape. This organ container <NUM> is in particular configured to store a kidney as an organ. The organ container <NUM> as a whole is made in a generally ellipsoidal shape so that the body <NUM> has an inner surface <NUM> of a shape that can easily fit along the surface of a kidney. However, the shape of the organ container <NUM> is not limited thereto.

The body <NUM> is formed of a styrene elastomer, which is a thermal insulating super soft material. Specifically, the body <NUM> is formed of an oil bleeding elastomer. Alternatively, the body <NUM> may be formed of a thermoplastic elastomer, a urethane elastomer, or an oil bleeding silicone gel. The body <NUM> according to the present embodiment has a hardness of, for example, E10 to A10 according to a durometer hardness test compliant with Japanese Industrial Standards JIS K <NUM>-<NUM>:<NUM>. The elongation rate of the body <NUM> is higher than or equal to <NUM>% at breakage. The oil bleeding elastomer serving as the material for the body <NUM> generally has a surface with tackiness (stickiness).

The body <NUM> formed of such a material can be easily stretched without breaking itself and the opening <NUM>. The body <NUM> formed of such a material can also keep the temperature of the organ in the body <NUM> when the organ is stored in the body <NUM>. Besides, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the body temperature of the recipient, the outside air temperature, or the heat generated from a variety of equipment used in the transplant operation may propagate to the organ. This suppresses a temperature rise in the organ and allows work such as a vascular anastomosis to be performed while the organ is kept at low temperatures. As a result, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the organ may get into a warm ischemic state and to reduce the occurrence of postoperative disorders. The body <NUM> formed of such a material can further protect the organ stored in the body <NUM> and reduce damage to the organ when some sort of impacts is applied to the organ.

The opening <NUM> is formed to insert an organ into the inner space S of the body <NUM>. The opening <NUM> provides communication between the inner space S of the body <NUM> and the outer space. The opening <NUM> also plays a role as a connection port for connecting blood vessels or other parts connected to the organ to the outside while the organ is stored in the body <NUM>. In the present embodiment, the opening <NUM> has a generally elliptical shape that is slightly long in the x direction. Under no-load conditions, a maximum width of the opening <NUM> (the length of the opening <NUM> in the x direction) is shorter than a maximum width of the body <NUM> (the length of the body <NUM> in the x direction).

The thick portion <NUM> is a portion that has a greater thickness in part than surrounding portions. The styrene elastomer with a greater thickness, serving as the material for the body <NUM>, has a higher capability to contract in a direction of returning to its original shape against loads applied in the direction of expansion. Thus, the thick portion <NUM> that entirely surrounds the opening <NUM> increases an elastically deformable amount of the organ container around the opening <NUM> and further improves strength. That is, it is possible to reduce the possibility of plastic deformation or breakage of the organ container around the opening <NUM> when the opening <NUM> is expanded.

When the organ container <NUM> that stores an organ is placed in the body cavity of a recipient for work such as vascular anastomosis, a low-temperature preservation solution is poured into the interstices between the organ and the inner surface <NUM> of the body <NUM>, using a syringe or a pipette. In the present embodiment, when the organ is stored in the organ container <NUM>, the thick portion <NUM> comes in intimate contact with the organ to thereby suppress a protrusion of the organ through the opening <NUM> and an outflow of the liquid held in the interstices between the organ and the inner surface <NUM> of the body <NUM> through the opening <NUM>. This further suppresses a temperature rise in the organ and further reduces the possibility that the organ may get into a warm ischemic state.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the body <NUM> has a plurality of projections <NUM> on the entire outer surface <NUM> (exterior surface). These projections <NUM> form an uneven shape of the entire outer surface <NUM> of the body <NUM>. This facilitates the surgeon's handling of the organ container <NUM> and improves workability during operation or during transport of the organ container <NUM>. However, it is not an absolute necessity that the entire outer surface <NUM> of the body <NUM> has an uneven shape.

Each of the projections <NUM> according to the present embodiment has a hemispherical shape that projects toward the outer space of the organ container <NUM>. This reduces the area that the surgeon comes in contact with the organ container <NUM> when handling the organ container <NUM>. Accordingly, the surgeon can easily handle the organ container <NUM> even if the body <NUM> has tackiness. Besides, the projections <NUM> are shaped with no sharp points. Thus, even if the projections <NUM> come in contact with the organ to be transplanted or other surrounding organs, damage to these organs is suppressed. Note that the shape of the projections <NUM> is not limited to the hemispherical shape.

As illustrated in <FIG>, each projection <NUM> according to the present embodiment has a height <NUM> less than or equal to <NUM>. An interval <NUM> between each pair of adjacent projections <NUM> is greater than or equal to <NUM> and less than or equal to <NUM>. On the entire outer surface <NUM> of the body <NUM>, a large number of projections <NUM> are arranged at approximately regular intervals. In this way, a large number of fine projections <NUM> are formed with no large spaces therebetween on the outer surface <NUM> of the body <NUM>. This further reduces the area that the surgeon touches the body <NUM> when handling the organ container <NUM>. Accordingly, the surgeon can more easily handle the organ container <NUM> even if the body <NUM> has tackiness. Note that the height <NUM> of each projection <NUM> may be higher than <NUM>, and the interval <NUM> between each pair of adjacent projections may be less than <NUM> or greater than <NUM>. As another alternative, a large number of projections <NUM> may be formed at irregular intervals on the outer surface <NUM> of the body <NUM>.

The inner surface <NUM> of the body <NUM> includes first regions <NUM> having smooth curved surfaces and second regions <NUM> having uneven shapes. That is, the body <NUM> according to the present invention has the inner surface <NUM> and the outer surface <NUM> each having an uneven shape. As illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, in the present embodiment, the first regions <NUM> are located in the bottom of the inner surface <NUM> that faces the opening <NUM>, in both end portions of the inner surface <NUM> in the x direction, and in both end portions of the inner surface <NUM> in the y direction. The second regions <NUM> are located in the other portions.

The second regions <NUM> each have a plurality of linear projections <NUM>. These projections <NUM> form the uneven shape. Each of the projections <NUM> projects toward the inner space S of the pouch-shaped body <NUM>. Moreover, each of the projections <NUM> according to the present embodiment is generally parallel to the edge of the opening <NUM>. Alternatively, each projection <NUM> may further have a tapered surface at the corners.

The inner surface <NUM> of the body <NUM> with such a structure, i.e., the uneven shapes of the second regions <NUM>, reduces the possibility that the organ stored in the body <NUM> may slip off or detached from the body <NUM> during transplantation of the organ into the recipient. The organ is held in the body <NUM> without being damaged by the uneven shapes or having traces of the uneven shapes. As a result, it is possible to carry out work such as vascular anastomosis while stably holding the organ in the body <NUM> and keeping the organ at low temperatures. This reduces the possibility that the organ may get into a warm ischemic state and suppresses the occurrence of postoperative disorders.

In the present embodiment, the uneven shape of the inner surface <NUM> of the body <NUM> forms a plurality of interstices between the organ and the inner surface <NUM> of the body <NUM> when the organ is stored in the body <NUM>. Each of the interstices extends in the horizontal direction. As described above, when the organ container <NUM> that stores the organ is placed in the body cavity of the recipient for work such as vascular anastomosis, a low-temperature preservation solution is poured into the interstices between the organ and the inner surface <NUM> of the body <NUM>, using a syringe or a pipette. In the present embodiment, the preservation solution can be held in each of the aforementioned interstices. This further suppresses a temperature rise in the organ.

<FIG> are schematic diagrams illustrating how a kidney <NUM>, which is one example of the organ, is stored into the organ container <NUM>. Specifically, <FIG> is a diagram illustrating the organ container <NUM> and the kidney <NUM> juxtaposed to each other under no-load conditions before the kidney <NUM> is stored into the organ container <NUM>. <FIG> is a diagram illustrating the kidney <NUM> and the organ container <NUM> juxtaposed to each other, with the opening <NUM> being stretched in order to store the kidney <NUM>, immediately before the kidney <NUM> is stored into the organ container <NUM>. <FIG> is a diagram illustrating the kidney <NUM> stored in the organ container <NUM>. Note that the uneven shape of the outer surface <NUM> of the body <NUM> is not illustrated in the organ container <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, under no-load conditions, a maximum width of the body <NUM> of the organ container <NUM>, i.e., a length D1 in the x direction, is smaller than a maximum width of the kidney <NUM>, i.e., a length K1. That is, under no-load conditions, a maximum width of the inner surface <NUM> of the body <NUM>, i.e., a length D2, is smaller than the length K1, which is the maximum width of the kidney <NUM>. Thus, under no-load conditions, a maximum width of the opening <NUM>, i.e., a length D3, is understandably smaller than the length K1, which is the maximum width of the kidney <NUM>.

The opening <NUM> is stretchable until the maximum width of the opening <NUM> becomes greater than the length D1, which is the maximum width of the body <NUM> under no-load conditions. This facilitates the storing of the kidney <NUM> into the body <NUM>. In the illustration in <FIG>, the opening <NUM> is stretched until the maximum width of the opening <NUM> becomes a length D4 that is greater than the length D1, which is the maximum width of the body <NUM> under no-load conditions. In this way, the surgeon stretches the opening <NUM> to store the kidney <NUM> into the body <NUM> through the opening <NUM>.

The organ container <NUM> according to the present embodiment is stretchable until the maximum width of the opening <NUM> becomes greater than the length K1, which is the maximum width of the kidney <NUM>. This further facilitates the storing of the kidney <NUM> into the body <NUM>. Even if the organ container cannot be stretched until the maximum width of the opening <NUM> becomes greater than the length K1, the organ container can be used as long as it is stretched until the maximum width of the inner surface <NUM> of the body <NUM> becomes greater than the length K1. This enables the surgeon to store the kidney <NUM> into the body <NUM>. As another alternative, the surgeon may once turn the organ container <NUM> inside out to store the kidney <NUM>.

As described above, the body <NUM> according to the present invention has a plurality of projections <NUM> on the outer surface <NUM>. These projections <NUM> form the uneven shape of the outer surface <NUM> of the body <NUM>. This facilitates the surgeon's handling of the organ container <NUM> when the surgeon stretches the opening <NUM> to store the kidney <NUM> into the body <NUM>. As a result, workability improves.

When the kidney <NUM> has been stored in the body <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG>, the entire inner surface <NUM> of the body <NUM> including the surroundings of the opening <NUM> comes along the outer surface of the kidney <NUM>. As described above, the inner surface <NUM> of the body <NUM> under no-load conditions is smaller than the outer surface of the kidney <NUM>. Thus, when the kidney <NUM> is stored in the organ container <NUM>, the inner surface <NUM> of the body <NUM> comes along the outer surface of the kidney <NUM>, and the projections <NUM> on the inner surface <NUM> of the body <NUM> come in intimate contact with the outer surface of the kidney <NUM>. Accordingly, the kidney <NUM> is appropriately held without moving inside the body <NUM>. As a result, damage to the kidney <NUM> is reduced. Since most part of the outer surface of the kidney <NUM> is covered with the organ container <NUM> having insulation effectiveness, it is easy to maintain the temperature of the kidney <NUM> and it is possible to efficiently suppress a temperature rise in the kidney <NUM>.

Moreover, when the kidney <NUM> is stored in the body <NUM>, the projections <NUM> come in contact with the outer surface of the kidney <NUM> and thereby form a plurality of interstices between the inner surface <NUM> of the body <NUM> and the outer surface of the kidney <NUM>. Each of these interstices extends in the horizontal direction. Thus, the aforementioned preservation solution for cooling can also be held in each of these interstices.

Here, if it is assumed that most part of the inner surface <NUM> of the body <NUM> forms the second regions <NUM> having uneven shapes, the volume of the preservation solution that can be held in the interstices between the inner surface <NUM> and the kidney <NUM> will increase. However, when the kidney <NUM> is stored into the body <NUM>, the contractile force of the body <NUM> causes the inner surface <NUM> of the body <NUM> to come into intimate contact with the outer surface of the kidney <NUM>. Thus, depending on the balance of shapes between the kidney <NUM> and the body <NUM>, some portions of the inner surface <NUM> may be pressed harder against the kidney <NUM>. If such portions of the inner surface <NUM> have uneven shapes, traces of the uneven shapes may remain on the outer surface of the kidney <NUM>.

In view of this, in the organ container <NUM>, regions on which traces are likely to remain are made as smooth first regions <NUM> with no unevenness. In the case where the kidney <NUM> is stored in the body <NUM> having a general ellipsoidal shape such as the organ container <NUM>, the pressure of the inner surface <NUM> against the kidney <NUM> is more likely to be applied in the major axis direction of the ellipsoidal shape, i.e., in the x direction. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the first regions <NUM> are located in both end portions of the inner surface <NUM> in the x direction as illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>. In addition to this, the first regions <NUM> are also located in both end portions of the inner surface <NUM> in the y direction to which the pressure of the inner surface <NUM> to the kidney <NUM> is relatively easily applied. In this way, it is possible to suppress the remaining of traces by making the regions of the inner surface <NUM> on which traces of the uneven shapes are likely to remain as the smooth first regions <NUM> with no unevenness.

In the present embodiment, a portion of the inner surface <NUM> that is located in the vicinity of the bottom is also made as the first region <NUM> with no unevenness. This is because there is no particular need to provide an uneven shape in the vicinity of the bottom since the preservation solution is naturally accumulated in the bottom by gravity.

Next, a procedure of a transplant operation of transplanting an organ removed from a donor into a recipient, using the organ container <NUM> described above, will be described. <FIG> is a flowchart of the procedure for the transplant operation using the organ container <NUM>. The following description is given of the case where the kidney <NUM> is to be transplanted using the organ container <NUM>.

In the transplant operation of a kidney, first, the kidney <NUM> is removed from a donor (step S1). Specifically, blood vessels <NUM> and <NUM> and an ureter <NUM> that extend from the kidney <NUM> of the donor (see <FIG>) are cut, and the kidney <NUM> is taken out of the body cavity of the donor.

The removed kidney <NUM> is preserved while being immersed in a low-temperature preservation solution. The kidney <NUM> is also stored into the organ container <NUM> (step S2). The preservation solution may, for example, be saline that is kept at <NUM>. As described above, if the organ is left at ordinary temperatures and the blood flowing from and to the organ is stopped, i.e., if the organ gets into a so-called warm ischemic state, the organ generally becomes easy to deteriorate due to metabolism in the organ. Thus, in step S2, the kidney <NUM> is preserved at a temperature lower than the ordinary temperatures in order to suppress deterioration of the kidney <NUM>.

Alternatively, in step S2, tubes may be connected to the blood vessels <NUM> and <NUM> of the kidney <NUM>, and the kidney <NUM> may be preserved while being perfused with a preservation solution via the tubes. Note that the perfusion using the preservation solution may continue until step S4 described later.

The timing when the kidney <NUM> is stored into the organ container <NUM> may be before the kidney <NUM> is immersed in the preservation solution, or may be after the kidney <NUM> is immersed in the preservation solution for a while and cooled enough. When the kidney <NUM> is stored into the organ container <NUM>, the opening <NUM> of the organ container <NUM> is opened, and the kidney <NUM> is inserted through the opening <NUM> into the body <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG>. Accordingly, the kidney <NUM> is held inside the pouch-shaped body <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG>. Note that the blood vessels <NUM> and <NUM> and the ureter <NUM> of the kidney <NUM> that are to be anastomosed to the blood vessels of the recipient in step S5 described later are left exposed to the outside through the opening <NUM>.

Moreover, a low-temperature preservation solution is poured into the interstices between the kidney <NUM> and the inner surface <NUM> of the body <NUM>, using a syringe or a pipette. The poured preservation solution is held between the kidney <NUM> and the inner surface <NUM> of the body <NUM>. At this time, the thick portion <NUM> of the body <NUM> comes into intimate contact with the kidney <NUM> and thereby suppresses a protrusion of the kidney <NUM> from the opening <NUM> and an outflow of the preservation solution through the opening <NUM>. Accordingly, the kidney <NUM> is immersed again in the low-temperature preservation solution and maintained in a low-temperature preservation condition while being embraced by the organ container <NUM>.

The kidney <NUM> held by the organ container <NUM> is transported from the donor side to the recipient side while being immersed in the low-temperature preservation solution (step S3). The kidney <NUM> transported to the recipient side is immersed in a low-temperature preservation solution until immediately before the transplantation, while continuously being held in the organ container <NUM>.

Then, the abdomen of the recipient is opened, and the organ container <NUM> that stores the kidney <NUM> is placed in the body cavity of the recipient (step S4). Then, the blood vessels of the recipient are anastomosed to the blood vessels <NUM> and <NUM> of the kidney <NUM> exposed to the outside through the opening <NUM> of the organ container <NUM> (step S5). In the case where the organ to be transplanted is the kidney <NUM>, the ureter <NUM> is also connected to the urinary bladder.

During the work in steps S2 to S5, blood does not flow inside the kidney <NUM>. During the work in steps S4 and S5, the kidney <NUM> stored in the organ container <NUM> is placed in the body cavity of the recipient. At this time, since the kidney <NUM> is stored in the organ container <NUM> with most part of its outer surface covered with the body <NUM> and the organ container <NUM> has a thermal insulating function, the kidney <NUM> is less likely to be affected by the body temperature of the recipient, the outside air temperature, or the heat generated from a variety of equipment used in the transplant operation. This allows the vascular anastomosis to be carried out with a reduced temperature rise in the kidney <NUM>. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the kidney <NUM> may get into a warm ischemic state and may become progressively deteriorated due to metabolism. As a result, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of postoperative disorders.

In steps S4 and S5, the low-temperature preservation solution is poured at regular time intervals into the interstices between the kidney <NUM> and the inner surface <NUM> of the body <NUM>, using a syringe or a pipette. For example, the preservation solution is poured every few minutes. The preservation solution already existing in the body <NUM> is collected using a drain and discharged to the outside of the body of the recipient. Note that the preservation solution already existing in the body <NUM> refers to a slightly warmed preservation solution. This further suppresses a temperature rise in the kidney <NUM> stored in the body <NUM>.

Thereafter, the opening <NUM> of the organ container <NUM> is opened, and the kidney <NUM> that has undergone the vascular anastomosis is taken out of the organ container <NUM>. Then, the organ container <NUM> is removed from the body cavity of the recipient (step S6). Thereafter, the bloodstream from the anastomosed blood vessels of the recipient to the kidney <NUM> or vice versa is resumed (step S7).

When the kidney <NUM> is stored in the organ container <NUM>, the entire inner surface <NUM> of the body <NUM> covers the surface of the kidney <NUM> along the outer surface of the kidney <NUM>. Thus, the end portions or other portions of the organ container <NUM> will not expand greatly around the kidney <NUM>. Accordingly, the organ container <NUM> is less likely to hinder work during operation.

Besides, the organ container <NUM> is formed of a super soft material. Thus, even if some sort of impacts is applied to the organ during transport or operation, it is possible to protect the kidney <NUM> stored in the body <NUM> and to absorb the impacts applied to the kidney <NUM>. This reduces damage to the kidney <NUM>.

As described above, the body <NUM> according to the present invention has a plurality of projections <NUM> on the outer surface <NUM>. These projections <NUM> form the uneven shape of the outer surface <NUM> of the body <NUM>. This facilitates the surgeon's handling of the organ container <NUM> during transport or operation, in particular when the kidney <NUM> is inserted into the body <NUM> or when the kidney <NUM> is taken out of the body <NUM>. As a result, it is possible to improve workability during the organ transplantation and to reduce the occurrence of accidents such as an accidental drop of the organ container <NUM> by the surgeon.

While one principal embodiment of the present invention has been described thus far, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the above-described embodiment.

<FIG> is a side view of an organ container 1B according to a variation. As in Embodiment <NUM>, the organ container 1B includes a contractible and expandable pouch-shaped body 20B. The body 20B has an opening 21B and a thick portion 22B. The body 20B is capable of storing an organ that is inserted from the opening 21B into the body 20B. The thick portion 22B entirely surround the opening 21B.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the body 20B has a plurality of linear projections 51B on the outer surface 201B. Each of the linear projections 51B projects toward the outer space of the organ container 1B. Each of the projections 51B also extends approximately parallel to the edge of the opening 21B. According to this variation, the linear projections 51B form an uneven shape of the outer surface 201B of the body 20B. This facilitates the surgeon's handling of the organ container 1B and thereby improves workability.

Alternatively, each projection 51B may further have a tapered surface at the corners. Each of the linear projections 51B may extend in a direction approximately perpendicular to the edge of the opening 21B on the outer surface 201B of the body 20B. Moreover, each projection may have a linear shape as in this variation, may have a hemispherical shape as in Embodiment <NUM> described above, or may have a polygonal shape such as a cubic shape or a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The projections may also be provided in a lattice form or in a spotty form on the outer surface of the body.

<FIG> is a longitudinal sectional view of an organ container 1C according to another variation. A body 20C of the organ container 1C according to this variation has an inner surface 200C that includes first regions 30C having smooth curved surfaces and second regions 40C having uneven shapes. According to this variation, the first regions 30C are located in the bottom of the inner surface 200C that faces the opening 21C and in both end portions of the inner surface 200C in the x direction. The second regions 40C are located in the other portions.

The second regions 40C include projections 41C and recesses 42C. Each of the projections 41C and the recesses 42C extends in the z direction. The projections 41C project toward the inner space S of the body 20C more than the adjacent recesses 42C. Thus, when an organ is stored in the organ container 1C, each of the projections 41C comes in intimate contact with the outer surface of the organ. Accordingly, the recesses 42C form a plurality of interstices between the inner surface 200C of the body 20C and the outer surface of the organ. This allows a preservation solution for cooling to be held in these interstices. In particular, when the recesses 42C extend in the z direction as in this variation, the preservation solution for cooling that is poured from the opening 21C will easily reach the bottom along the recesses 42C. That is, the preservation solution for cooling held between the inner surface 200C and the organ can spread easily over the entire inner surface 200C. This improves the efficiency of suppressing a temperature rise in the organ stored in the body 20C.

While the projections 41C according to this variation have a structure that projects toward the inner space S of the body 20C, the recesses 42C may have, instead of or in addition to the above structure, a structure that is recessed more outwardly. Specifically, when a plane that is virtually extended from the first regions 30C with smooth curved surfaces is assumed to be a reference plane, each of the recesses 42C may be recessed outward of the reference plane. Each of the projections 41C may be located in the reference plane. This structure reduces the possibility that the projections 41C may dig into the organ when the organ is stored in the organ container 1C, and thereby further suppresses the remaining of traces. As another alternative, the outward dents of the recesses 42C may directly form the uneven shape of the outer surface 201C of the body 20C.

In the embodiment and variations described above, the inner and outer surfaces of the body each have one type of uneven shape. However, the inner and outer surfaces of the body each may have a plurality of types of uneven shapes. Moreover, the inner and outer surfaces of the body each may have one or a plurality of types of uneven shapes at regular intervals or at irregular intervals.

Claim 1:
An organ container (<NUM>) for storing an organ (<NUM>), comprising:
a pouch-shaped body (<NUM>) having an opening (<NUM>) and capable of storing an organ (<NUM>) that is inserted from said opening (<NUM>) into an inner space (S),
wherein said body (<NUM>) is formed of a styrene elastomer,
characterized in that said body (<NUM>) has a plurality of linear projections (<NUM>) on an inner surface (<NUM>) of said body (<NUM>), said plurality of linear projections (<NUM>) forming an uneven shape of said inner surface (<NUM>), and
wherein said body (<NUM>) has a plurality of projections (<NUM>) on an outer surface (<NUM>) of said body (<NUM>), said plurality of projections (<NUM>) forming an uneven shape of said outer surface (<NUM>).