Patent ID: 8409846

Claim:
A perfusion apparatus, comprising a chamber assembly for containing a heart, a perfusion circuit including a first conduit for providing an oxygenated fluid to the heart, a second conduit for carrying depleted fluid away from the heart, and an afterload device for adjusting back pressure of the fluid, a reservoir disposed along the perfusion circuit for containing a portion of the fluid, the reservoir including an inlet for receiving the fluid from the perfusion circuit and outlet for supplying the fluid to the perfusion circuit, a pulsatile pump for circulating the fluid through the perfusion circuit, an oxygenating device disposed along the perfusion circuit to maintain the heart at physiologic levels of oxygenation, and a temperature control device that has a heater and a temperature control sufficient to maintain the fluid at a physiologic temperature, wherein the pulsatile pump, oxygenating device, and the temperature control device are adapted to operate with the perfusion circuit to maintain the heart in a functioning and viable state in an ex-vivo environment.