Sterile cooling system
AssigneeBaxter Travenol Laboratories, Inc.
InventorDavid A. Winchell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cooling system is provided for organs during transplant surgery. A disposable receptacle (10) has a sterilizable interior and is formed of a material that is sufficiently rigid to maintain its shape normally without collapsing but sufficiently flexible to be squeezable manually. A disposable flexible container (16) is located inside the receptacle. The flexible container (16) contains a liquid solution that is adapted to be chilled in a freezer. The flexible container (16) and its contents are sterilizable and useful for providing cooling for organs during surgical transplants. The disposable receptacle (10) has a peelable lid (14) that is sealed to a tray portion (12) to enable the sterilizable container (16) to be aseptically removed from the receptacle (10).
Claims16
A cooling system for organs, which comprises:
- a disposable receptacle having a sterilizable interior and formed of a material that is sufficiently rigid to maintain its shape normally without collapsing but sufficiently flexible to be squeezable manually whereby the person squeezing the receptacle can generally determine a condition of the receptacle's contents;
- a disposable flexible container located inside the receptacle, said flexible container containing a liquid solution that is adapted to be chilled in a freezer, said flexible container and its contents being sterilizable and useful for providing cooling for organs during surgery;
- said disposable receptacle including means for enabling said sterilizable container to be aseptically removed from said receptacle when sterile and remain in sterile condition;
- and
- a tray portion with said enabling means comprising a cover that is manually removable from said tray portion.
A system for cooling organs comprising the steps of:
- providing a closed disposable receptacle having a sterilizable interior and formed of a material that is sufficiently rigid to maintain its shape normally without collapsing but sufficiently flexible to be squeezable manually whereby the person squeezing the receptacle can generally determine a condition of the receptacle's contents, said receptacle having therein a closed disposable flexible container that contains a liquid solution;
- sterilizing the disposable receptacle and the disposable flexible container while the container is within the closed receptacle;
- cooling the combined receptacle and container in a freezer;
- thereafter removing the cooled receptacle and container from the freezer;
- aseptically removing the cooled container from the receptacle for using the cooled liquid as a cooling medium during surgery;
- and
- disposing of the receptacle and container after use thereof.
A system for cooling organs comprising the steps of:
- providing a closed disposable receptacle having therein a closed disposable flexible container that contains a liquid solution;
- sterilizing the disposable receptacle;
- sterilizing the disposable flexible container;
- aseptically introducing the sterile disposable flexible container into the disposable receptacle;
- cooling the combined receptacle and container in a freezer;
- thereafter removing the cooled receptacle and container from the freezer;
- aspetically removing the cooled container from the receptacle for using the cooled liquid as a cooling medium during surgery;
- and
- disposing of the receptacle and container after use thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.