Method of freezing and transplant of kidneys and apparatus

Abstract

In the method of freezing and transplanting a kidney including the successive steps of excising, flushing, hypothermically infusing, freezing, thawing, infusing and implantation, the improvement including the steps of metering and infusing pressurized chilled helium into the renal artery while progressively and rapidly cooling the kidney located on a support of a container that is not immersed but surrounded by a body of liquid nitrogen, while continuously metering nitrogen into the body of liquid nitrogen and simultaneously and continuously recording temperatures and rate for cooling. The kidney is held above the liquid nitrogen by the support and is subjected to the pressurized nitrogen atmosphere within the cooling chamber or tank. A further step in which the thawing includes the application of infrared radiation to the kidney within a confined area while continuously rotating the kidney for uniform thawing. A cryogenic apparatus for controlled freezing of a kidney includes an insulated tank holding a body of liquid nitrogen, with a fitting through the tank adapted for connection to a source of pressurized nitrogen. A coil is immersed within the liquid nitrogen has an inlet fitting which projects outwardly of the tank adapted for connection to a source of pressurized helium and has an outlet adapted for connection to renal artery of the kidney in a container immersed in the liquid nitrogen. A thermocouple within the tank interconnects the kidney with an exterior temperature recorder.