Patent ID: 8679735

Claim:
A method for cooling an organ from a temperature above −10° C. to a target temperature below −10° C. by continuous vascular perfusion with minimal injury, said method comprising: perfusing the organ with a vitrifiable first cryoprotectant solution having a first cryoprotectant concentration, wherein said perfusing is conducted for a period of time insufficient for the difference between the first cryoprotectant concentration and the venous cryoprotectant concentration of said organ to decline to 200 mM or less; and then, at the end of said period of time, lowering the temperature of the first cryoprotectant solution to or below the target temperature while continuously perfusing the organ; and thereafter continuing to perfuse said first cryoprotectant solution until the temperature of at least a portion of the organ reaches the target temperature, wherein the first cryoprotectant solution is sufficiently concentrated to be vitrifiable at a cooling rate of ≦20° C./min.