Moisture resistant package for storing sterile items

A package containing a sterile item, the package comprising:

• an outer package having a first cavity and a first sealing element, the first cavity being defined by a plurality of first side walls comprising moisture barrier material, the first cavity exhibiting a first pressure;
• an inner package to fit within the first cavity of the outer package, the inner package having a second cavity for storing the sterile item and a second sealing element, the second cavity being defined by a plurality of second side walls comprising moisture barrier material, the second cavity exhibiting a second pressure;
• an inner lid made of sterilizable non-porous lidding material releasably sealed to the second sealing element of the inner package, the inner package and the inner lid being arranged to enclose the sterile item in a moisture and microbial resistant, sterile environment;
• an outer lid releasably secured to the first sealing element of the outer tray to enclose the inner package in a moisture resistant, sterile environment;
• wherein the sterile item comprises a tissue specimen for implantation, the tissue specimen having residual lipids.

A package containing an implantable specimen of human or animal tissue, the specimen having lipids, the package comprising:

• a moisture resistant outer tray having a first recess formed by a first wall, the first wall having moisture barrier means for resisting moisture uptake into the first recess through the wall,
• a first sealing element supported by the first wall;
• an outer lid sealingly secured to the first sealing element to provide a sealed substantially moisture resistant environment in the first recess, the sealed first recess exhibiting a first pressure value;
• a moisture resistant inner tray removable disposed within the first recess of the outer tray, the inner tray having a second recess for storing the specimen, the second recess being formed by a second wall;
• a second sealing element supported by the second wall;
• an inner lid made of terminally sterilizable non-porous material sealingly secured to the second sealing element to moisture seal the second recess of the inner tray, the sealed second recess exhibiting a second pressure value, the inner lid having at least one hole to equalize the second pressure value in the second recess of the inner tray relative to the first pressure value in the first recess of the outer tray so that the inner lid will not prematurely separate from the inner tray due to the pressure differential between the pressure values in the inner tray and the outer tray recesses;
• wherein the implantable specimen of the sterile item has lipids and the moisture resistant inner tray and the moisture resistant outer tray are arranged to enclose the sterile item in a moisture resistant sterile environment to prevent the sterile item from being exposed to moisture or microbial contaminants during storage.

A storage unit containing a sterile item comprising a human or an animal tissue specimen, the storage unit comprising:

• a first three-dimensional package having a first recess exhibiting a first pressure, the first package including means for resisting moisture uptake into the first recess;
• a second three-dimensional package removably disposed within the first recess, the second package having a second recess exhibiting a second pressure;
• a first lid releasably secured to the first package for moisture and pressure sealingly enclosing the second package within the first recess of the first package;
• a non-porous second lid releasably secured to the second package, the second lid and the second package being arranged for moisture and pressure sealingly enclosing the sterile item in the second recess and including means to equalize the pressure of the first recess relative to the pressure of the second recess in the presence of a pressure differential between the first and second pressure so that the inner lid will not prematurely separate from the inner tray in response to the pressure differential;
• wherein the sterile item comprises a human or an animal tissue specimen and the second lid and the second package are arranged for moisture and pressure sealingly enclosing the sterile item in a moisture resistant, sterile environment when the storage unit is stored.

A storage unit containing an implantable specimen comprising a human or an animal allograft having lipids, the storage unit comprising:

• an outer package comprising a non-porous thermoplastic sheet of material coated with a film of moisture barrier material, the coated sheet of material being formed into a three-dimensional object from a flat sheet, the object having a first recess for releasably storing an item in a moisture resistant, sterile environment;
• an inner package made from a sheet of non-porous material that is formed into a three-dimensional object that is shaped to fit within the recess of the outer package, the inner package having a second recess to store the specimen;
• a non-porous inner lid releasably sealed to the inner package for enclosing the specimen in a moisture resistant, sterile environment to prevent the sterile item from being exposed to microbial contaminants;
• an outer lid releasably sealed to the outer package for enclosing the inner package in a moisture and microbial resistant, sterile environment;
• wherein the implantable specimen comprises a human or an animal allograft having lipids, such that the inner package and the inner package are arranged for enclosing the implantable specimen in a moisture resistant, sterile environment to prevent the implantable specimen from being exposed to moisture or microbial contaminants during storage.

A terminally sterilizable package for storing and transporting an allograft specimen for implantation or transplant, the specimen having lipids, the package comprising:

• a moisture resistant outer tray having a bottom wall and a first cavity, the first cavity being defined by first side walls comprising moisture barrier material and exhibiting a first pressure, the first side walls supporting a first sealing element;
• an inner tray removably disposed and shaped to fit within the first cavity, the inner tray having a bottom wall and a second cavity, the second cavity being defined by second side walls and exhibiting a second pressure, the side walls of the inner tray supporting a second sealing element;
• a non-porous inner lid releasably sealed to the second sealing element the inner lid and inner tray being arranged for enclosing the specimen in a moisture resistant, sterile environment to prevent the sterile item from being exposed to moisture microbial contaminants during storage, the inner lid including a tab that is folded over to overlie the inner lid when the package is closed;
• and
• an outer lid made of non-porous material releasably sealed to the first sealing element for enclosing the inner tray in a moisture resistant sterile environment.