Packaging assembly for storing tissue and cellular material
An improved packaging assembly for storing, distributing, treating, mixing, and dispensing tissue and/or cellular material and/or implantable material. The packaging assembly may include pouches, tubes, and a bag made of a sealable, flexible polymeric material that is open at one end and a needle-free swabable connector attached to the pouch at the other end and acting as a port to allow for the introduction or discharge of biological solutions, rinsing solution, and/or preservation solutions into the packaging assembly. The designed thickness of the wall of the packaging assembly facilitates efficient heat/cold transfer, which is useful for successful controlled rate freezing, quick thawing, and resuscitation of viable cells or tissue. The packaging assembly is also useful for combining additional biological fluids with the cellular material or tissue, and for efficient mixing of the biological fluids with the tissue and/or cellular material in the assembly.
1 . A packaging assembly for storing particulate tissue, comprising:
a pouch formed of a flexible polymeric material and defining a compartment, a first end of the pouch configured to be transitioned from an open configuration to a sealed configuration, the first end defining a first opening via which the pouch is configured to receive particulate tissue into the compartment in the open configuration, the pouch defining a second opening opposite the first opening,
the particulate tissue having viable cells and disposed within a preservation solution within the compartment; and
a port coupled to the pouch such that at least one of a biological solution, a rinsing solution or the preservation solution can be introduced into or withdrawn from the compartment through the second opening via the port without removal of the particulate tissue from the pouch through the port,
wherein the pouch is configured, when the first end is in the sealed configuration, to be cut to define a third opening for withdrawal of the particulate tissue from the compartment through the third opening.
2 . The packaging assembly of claim 1 , wherein the particulate tissue comprises at least one of dermal, fascia, tendon, cartilage, muscle, placenta material or mixtures thereof.
3 . The packaging assembly of claim 1 , wherein the particulate tissue comprises dermal material.
4 . The packaging assembly of claim 1 , wherein the particulate tissue comprises fascia material.
5 . The packaging assembly of claim 1 , wherein the particulate tissue comprises cartilage material.
6 . The packaging assembly of claim 1 , wherein the particulate tissue comprises muscle or tendon material.
7 . The packaging assembly of claim 1 , wherein the particulate tissue comprises placenta material.
8 . The packaging assembly of claim 1 , wherein the preservation solution includes a cryopreservation media.
9 . The packaging assembly of claim 1 , wherein a wall thickness of the pouch is between about 0.0005 inches and about 0.010 inches.
10 . A packaging assembly for storing implantable material, comprising:
a pouch formed of a flexible polymeric material and defining a compartment, a first end of the pouch configured to be transitioned from an open configuration to a sealed configuration, the first end defining a first opening via which the pouch is configured to receive implantable material into the compartment in the open configuration, the pouch defining a second opening opposite the first opening,
the implantable material including viable cells and disposed within a preservation solution within the compartment; and
a port coupled to the pouch such that at least one of a biological solution, a rinsing solution or the preservation solution can be introduced into or withdrawn from the compartment through the second opening via the port without removal of the implantable material from the pouch through the port,
wherein the pouch is configured, when the first end is in the sealed configuration, to be cut to define a third opening for withdrawal of the implantable material from the compartment through the third opening.
11 . The packaging assembly of claim 10 , wherein the implantable material comprises at least one of bone or cartilage.
12 . The packaging assembly of claim 10 , wherein the implantable material comprises bone and cartilage.
13 . The packaging assembly of claim 10 , wherein the implantable material comprises one or more sheets of tissue.
14 . The packaging assembly of claim 10 , wherein the implantable material comprises a membrane.
15 . The packaging assembly of claim 10 , wherein the implantable material comprises a sponge.
16 . The packaging assembly of claim 10 , wherein the preservation solution comprises a cryopreservation media.
17 . The packaging assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a sealable secondary container within which the pouch is disposed.
18 . The packaging assembly of claim 10 , wherein a wall thickness of the pouch is between about 0.0005 inches and about 0.010 inches.
19 . The packaging assembly of claim 10 , wherein the flexible polymeric material includes at least one of polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyester.
20 . The packaging assembly of claim 10 , wherein the first opening is larger than the second opening.