Apparatus and method for sterilizing, seeding, culturing, storing, shipping and testing tissue, synthetic or native, vascular grafts

An apparatus for seeding and culturing vascular grafts, comprising:

• at least one vascular graft designed to facilitate three-dimensional tissue growth on said graft, said graft comprising a biocompatible, non-living three-dimensional framework having interstitial spaces bridgeable by cells;
• a housing defining a seeding and culturing chamber with a first and at least two second ports to permit flow of a medium therethrough;
• and
• a means for connecting said at least one vascular graft within said chamber, said connecting means fluidly connecting said at least one vascular graft to said first port such that medium flows from said first port through said at least one vascular graft and out at least one of said second ports;
• and
• wherein said flow of medium through said at least one vascular graft applies radial and shear stresses to said at least one vascular graft.

An apparatus for seeding and culturing vascular grafts, comprising:

• a chamber defmed by top and bottom walls and at least one side wall;
• at least one fluid inlet to said chamber and at least one fluid outlet from said chamber;
• a vascular graft designed to facilitate three-dimensional tissue growth on said graft, said graft comprising a biocompatible non-living three-dimensional having interstitial spaces bridgeable by cells:
• at least one fitting mounted within the chamber, in fluid communication with the inlet, said fitting being configured and dimensioned to receive and hold open an end of said vascular graft to permit flow of fluid through said graft;
• and
• a fluid supply system communicating with the fluid inlet to provide pulsatile fluid flow through said at least one fitting.

A method for seeding and culturing a vascular graft, comprising:

• providing a vascular graft designed to facilitate three-dimensional tissue growth on said graft, said graft comprising a biocompatible, non-living three-dimensional framework having interstitial spaces bridgeable by cells:
• exposing said vascular graft to a fluid media;
• and
• imparting radial and shear stresses to said vascular graft during at least one of said seeding or culturing to simulate physiological conditions.

A method for treating a vascular graft comprising:

• providing a vascular graft designed to facilitate three-dimensional tissue growth on said graft, said graft comprising a biocompatible, non-living three-dimensional framework having interstitial spaces bridgeable by cells;
• providing a fluid media source;
• and
• pumping said fluid media from said source to create a fluid stream;
• fluidly connecting said vascular graft with said fluid stream within a media chamber;
• and
• variably moving said vascular graft between an expanded position and an un-expanded position by directing said flow through the graft.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a tubular prosthesis designed to facilitate three-dimensional tissue growth on said prosthesis, said prosthesis comprising a biocompatible, non-living three-dimensional framework having interstitial spaces bridgeable by cells;
• a chamber having a first port and a second port for flow of fluid therethrough;
• a support structure located within said chamber configured and dimensioned to support the tubular prosthesis;
• and
• means for imparting a radial stress to the prosthesis mounted on said support structure.

An apparatus for seeding and culturing vascular grafts, comprising:

• a housing defining a seeding and culturing chamber with first and second ports to permit flow of a medium therethrough;
• a vascular graft support structure mounted in the chamber, said structure adapted for supporting a vascular graft such that media flow between said ports is permitted to circulate around the surfaces of the graft;
• and
• a pressure source for alternatingly expanding said vascular graft support structure from a first position to a second position to apply a varying radial stress on the graft.

An apparatus for three-dimensional tissue growth, comprising:

• a tubular prosthesis designed to facilitate three-dimensional tissue growth on said prosthesis, said prosthesis comprising a biocompatible, non-living three-dimensional framework having interstitial spaces bridgeable by cells;
• a housing defining a seeding and culturing chamber with first and second ports to permit flow of a medium therethrough;
• and
• a porous support structure mounted in the chamber configured and dimensioned to support the tubular prosthesis, said support structure fluidly connected to the first port such that medium flows from the first port through said porous support structure and out the second port;
• wherein the medium flow through said support structure applies a radial stress on the prosthesis mounted on said support structure.

A method for treating a tubular prosthesis comprising:

• providing a fluid media source;
• pumping the fluid media from said source to create a fluid stream;
• providing a tubular prosthesis designed to facilitate three-dimensional tissue growth on said prosthesis, said prosthesis comprising a biocompatible, non-living three-dimensional framework having interstitial spaces bridgeable by cells;
• holding the prosthesis in a media chamber communicating with the fluid stream;
• and
• variably moving said prosthesis from a first contracted position to a second expanded position in said fluid stream.