Heart valve and xenograft washing system

• US 4,838,288 A
• Filed: 03/14/1988
• Issued: 06/13/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pioneering Technology Corp
• Original Assignee: Pioneering Technology Corp
• Inventors: Wright, Diana R., Schlerf, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coe, Philip R.
• Application Number:
  US07/167,707
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: 134/95, 134/99, 134/102, 134/103, 134/110, 134/111, 134/113, 134/182, 134/186, 134/188, 134/191, 134/195, 422/29, 422/292
• US Class Current: 134/110
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/00 Filters implantable into blood vessels; Prostheses, i.e. artificial substitutes or replacements for parts of the body; Appliances for connecting them with the body; Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents as cosmetic articles, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. wigs, hair pieces, A41G3/00, A41G5/00; artificial nails A45D31/00; dental prostheses A61C13/00; materials for prostheses A61L27/00; artificial hearts A61M60/00; artificial kidneys A61M1/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0095 Packages or dispensers for prostheses or other implants for intraocular lenses A61F2/1691; for dental surgery A61C19/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/24 Heart valves ; Vascular valves, e.g. venous valves; Heart implants, e.g. passive devices for improving the function of the native valve or the heart muscle; Transmyocardial revascularisation [TMR] devices; Valves implantable in the body

Abstract

A packaged prosthesis and a system and method for washing prosthetic and other implants with a biologically compatible wash solution prior to implantation, which allows for complete washing of valve and graft tissue to remove preservatives used to store the tissue grafts and or treat the same, having containers containing the wash solution, a sterile filter in fluid communication with these containers, a valve to the sterile filter to control the flow of wash solution from the containers to the sterile filter and a wash chamber, in fluid communication with the sterile filter, for positioning the prosthesis or tissue implant to permit wash solution to flow freely over and wash the same are disclosed.

Claims

1. A system for washing a prosthesis with a biologically compatible wash solution, comprising, in combination,

at least one container of wash solution;

a sterile filter in fluid communication with said container; and

a flow-through wash chamber having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet for positioning the prosthesis to permit wash solution to flow freely over and wash the same, the fluid inlet being connected in fluid communication with sterile filter, said wash chamber comprising a funnel and a cap forming said wash chamber, said wash chamber being constructed, configured and dimensioned to receive a xenograft prosthesis and, in use, to direct fluid flow over all surfaces thereof, said cap being removeably connected to said funnel, and in fluid communication with said sterile filter.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising flowthrough detecting means in fluid communication with the fluid outlet of the wash chamber for detecting the presence of biological or chemical species in effluent from the wash chamber.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising a second sterile filter, in fluid communication with the outlet of said wash chamber, for filtering effluent from said wash chamber.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a recirculation outlet conduit in fluid communication with the wash chamber, a recirculation inlet conduit in fluid communication with the wash chamber, and means for recirculating fluid through the wash chamber and said recirculation conduits to provide additional washing of the prosthesis.

5. A system for washing a prosthesis with a biologically compatible wash solution, comprising, in combination,

at least one container of wash solution;

a sterile filter in fluid communication with said container; and

a flow-through wash chamber having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet for positioning the prosthesis to permit wash solution to flow freely over and wash the same, the fluid inlet being connected in fluid communication with sterile filter

said wash chamber comprising a funnel and a cap forming said wash chamber, said wash chamber being constructed, configured and dimensioned to receive a heart valve prosthesis and, in use, to direct fluid flow over all surfaces thereof, said cap being removeably connected to said funnel, and in fluid communication with said sterile filter,; and

a filter cloth in said funnel for covering said heart valve prosthesis positioned within said funnel for spreading fluid flow and causing flow over all surfaces of the prosthesis.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising:

a recirculation outlet conduit in fluid communication with the wash chamber, a recirculation inlet conduit in fluid communication with the wash chamber, and means for recirculating fluid through the wash chamber and said recirculation conduits to provide additional washing of the prosthesis.