An apparatus for the pulsating perfusion of whole organs

An organ perfusion system is presented which is simple in design, economical in construction, and easily adaptable to various laboratory requirements. The principle of operation is based on two perfusate-containing flexible plastic bags immersed in liquid upon which air impinges at controllable pressures and rates. Media from one of the bags is transmitted to the organ. The other bag receives media from the organ chamber by gravity and returns it during a pulse of over-riding pressures to the pressurized portion of the circulatory system. One-way valves prevent backflow. The system has been used to established working principles which have been proved in part by the independent maintenance of a rhythmic although somewhat diminished auricular-ventricular contractions of whole monkey hearts for a period just under 10 hrs at normo- and hypothermic temperatures. Adequate morphological preservation was observed when the hearts were sacrificed for histological study.