A holder for a micro-sized medical device, such as a pipette, includes a main body portion having an interior space sized for housing at least one pipette. A reducing insert comprising a sleeve has an open end and a substantially closed end. The sleeve is sized such that the open end is receivable in the main body portion through an open axial end of the main body, and the substantially closed end has an aperture extending therethrough having a diameter sufficient for passage of a pipette therethrough. An end cap is engageable with the open axial end of the main body portion, and is selectively movable between an open position wherein the interior space of the main body communicates via the aperture with an environment exterior of the holder, and a closed position wherein the seal covers the aperture. The components of the holder may be formed integrally or separately.
1. A holder for a pipette, comprising:
an elongated main body portion, said main body portion comprising a closed axial end and an open axial end, said main body portion having an interior space and having a length suitable for housing at least one pipette therein;
a reducing insert, said reducing insert comprising a sleeve having an open end and a substantially closed end having a substantially flat inner surface, said sleeve sized and arranged such that said sleeve open end is received in said interior space of said main body portion through said open axial end, said substantially closed end of said sleeve having an aperture extending therethrough and communicating with said interior space, said aperture having a diameter sufficient for passage of only a single pipette therethrough at any one time, wherein said sleeve open end has a smaller diameter and said substantially closed end has a larger diameter such that said substantially closed end is not receivable in said main body portion open axial end; and
a cap, said cap comprising a base portion and a seal portion, said base portion engageable with said open axial end of said main body portion, said seal portion being hingedly engaged with said base portion and movable relative to said base portion between an open position wherein said interior space of said main body portion communicates via said aperture with an environment exterior of said holder, and a closed position wherein said seal portion covers said aperture.
2. The holder of claim 1 , wherein said reducing insert is positioned in said holder such that a length between said main body portion closed axial end and reducing insert open end is less than a length of said pipette, and a length between said main body portion closed axial end and said substantially closed end of said reducing insert exceeds the length of said pipette.
3. The holder of claim 1 , wherein said reducing insert sleeve has an inner sleeve surface, said insert further comprising a structure for spacing said pipette from said inner sleeve surface.
4. The holder of claim 3 , wherein said structure comprises at least one of a spacing ring, a plurality of generally inwardly directed protrusions, a generally helically shaped bead, a generally concave shaped wall portion, a generally convex shaped wall portion, and a textured inner sleeve surface.
5. The holder of claim 1 , wherein said reducing insert sleeve has an internal surface comprising a plurality of stepped surfaces of decreasing diameter in the direction of said aperture.
6. A kit for use in a medical procedure, comprising: at least one pipette suitable for use in said medical procedure; and a holder for said at least one pipette, said holder comprising a main body portion, a reducing insert, and a cap; said main body portion comprising a normally-closed axial end and an open axial end, said main body portion having an interior space and sized for holding said at least one pipette in said interior space; said reducing insert comprising a sleeve having a smaller diameter open end and a larger diameter substantially closed end having a substantially flat inner surface, said sleeve sized and arranged such that said smaller diameter open end is received in said main body portion open axial end and said larger diameter substantially closed end is not receivable in said main body portion open axial end, said substantially closed end having an aperture extending therethrough and communicating with said interior space, said aperture having a diameter sufficient for passage of only a single pipette therethrough at any one time, said pipette having a length such that it exceeds a length between said main body portion closed axial end and said open end of said sleeve and such that it is less than a length between said main body portion closed axial end and said substantially closed end of said reducing insert; said cap comprising a base portion and a seal portion, said base portion engaged with said open axial end of said main body portion, said seal portion hingedly engaged with said base portion and movable between an open position wherein said interior space of said main body portion communicates via said aperture with an environment exterior of said holder for removal of said pipette from said holder, and a closed position wherein said seal portion covers said aperture.