Real time imaging during solid organ transplant
A method of determining the patency of a donor organ or at least one vessel to a donor organ in a donor subject includes administering a fluorescent dye to the donor subject, applying a sufficient amount of energy to the vessel such that the fluorescent dye fluoresces, obtaining a fluorescent image of the donor organ or the vessel attached to a donor organ, and observing the image to determine if a fluorescent signal is continuous through the vessel. A continuous fluorescent signal in the donor organ or vessel indicates the respective donor organ or vessel is patent.
1. A method of determining the patency of at least one vessel which is attached to a donor organ in a donor subject comprising:
a. administering a fluorescent dye to the donor subject;
b. applying energy to the vessel such that the fluorescent dye fluoresces;
c. obtaining a fluorescent image of the vessel attached to a donor organ; and
d. observing the image to determine if a fluorescent signal is continuous through the vessel,
wherein a continuous fluorescent signal in the vessel indicates the vessel is patent, and wherein the fluorescent dye is a tricarbocyanine dye, fluorescein isothlocyanate, rhodamine, phycoerythrin, phycocyanin, allophycocyanin, o-phthaldehyde, fluorescamine, Rose Bengal, trypan blue, fluoro-gold, or a combination thereof.
2. A method of determining the patency of a donor organ comprising:
a. administering a fluorescent dye to the vessel attached to the donor organ;
b. applying energy to the vessel such that the fluorescent dye fluoresces;
c. obtaining a fluorescent image of the donor organ; and
d. observing the image to determine if a fluorescent signal is continuous through the donor organ,
wherein continuous fluorescent signal in the donor organ indicates the donor organ is patent, and wherein the fluorescent dye is a tricarbocyanine dye, fluorescein isothlocyanate, rhodamine, phycoerythrin, phycocyanin, allophycocyanin, o-phthaldehyde, fluorescamine, Rose Bengal, trypan blue, fluoro-gold, or a combination thereof.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the donor organ is a heart, a lung, a liver, a kidney, or a pancreas.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluorescent dye is administered as a bolus injection.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tricarbocyanine dye is indocyanine green.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy is provided by a laser.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy is provided by a light emitting diode.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy comprises infrared light.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluorescent image is obtained with a surgical microscope or an endoscope.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image is obtained by a charge coupled device.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image is obtained by a video camera.
12. The method of claim 2 , wherein the donor organ is a heart, a lung, a liver, a kidney, or a pancreas.
13. The method of claim 2 , wherein the fluorescent dye is administered as a bolus injection.
14. The method of claim 2 , wherein the tricarbocyanine dye is indocyanine green.
15. The method of claim 2 , wherein the energy is provided by a laser.
16. The method of claim 2 , wherein the energy is provided by a light emitting diode.
17. The method of claim 2 , wherein the energy comprises infrared light.
18. The method of claim 2 , wherein the fluorescent image is obtained with a surgical microscope or an endoscope.
19. The method of claim 2 , wherein the image is obtained by a charge coupled device.
20. The method of claim 2 , wherein the image is obtained by a video camera.