ONE OF the major deterrents to routine clinical application of the transplantation of organs is the problem of obtaining functioning organs in sufficient numbers from cadaveric sources. A central feature of any program designed to procure suitable cadaveric organs is the capability of preserving such organs in a functional state for a reasonable interval. An effective method of storing organs must meet the following requirements: (1) available within a few minutes after the death of a potential donor; (2) portable to move easily and quickly over an area within 50 miles of the transplanting hospital; (3) effective for at least 24 hours to allow time for the preparation of the recipient and essential histocompatibility tests; and (4) prevent functional deteriorization of the organ during its interval of preservation and be easily applicable to the heart, lung, liver, and pancreas as well as the kidney.
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