Three envelope package for sterile specimens

A method of protecting a tissue sample from damage upon cryopreservation and thawing, and maintaining its suitability for transplant into a patient in need of such treatment, comprising:

• placing a transplantable tissue sample into a sterile cavity of an innermost envelope in conjunction with a suitable medium;
• sealing said innermost envelope;
• placing the sealed innermost envelope into the cavity of an intermediate envelope;
• sealing the intermediate envelope;
• placing the sealed intermediate envelope into an outermost envelope;
• sealing the outermost envelope;
• maintaining the outermost envelope in a suitable cryogenic freezing medium for a time period and at a temperature effective for cryogenically preserving the tissue contained in the innermost envelope;
• and
• incubating the transplantable tissue to a temperature suitable for implanting the patient in need of such treatment.

A package for storing a transplantable tissue in cryogenic liquid nitrogen comprising:

• an outermost envelope defining a closed sterile interior and having a non-sterile exterior, the envelope being impervious to liquid nitrogen and bacteria and having a closure means impenetrably sealed against liquid nitrogen and defining a closed sterile interior;
• an intermediate envelope impervious to bacteria and removably received within the interior of the outer envelope, and defining a closed sterile interior, and an inner envelope imprevious to bacteria, removably received within the interior of the intermediate envelope, having a sterile exterior and defining a closed sterile interior suitable for containing a transplantable tissue,
• said outer envelope being useful for protecting the intermediate envelope against contact with liquid nitrogen,
• said intermediate envelope maintaining the sterile exterior of the inner envelope irrespective of possible contamination to the exterior of the intermediate envelope during removal from the outer envelope.