Stem cell delivery device for orthobiologics applications

• US 8,992,473 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2010
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National University of Ireland Galway
• Original Assignee: National University of Ireland Galway
• Inventors: Pendlebury, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi, Nicholas
• Assistant Examiner(s): LANDRY II, GERALD ERNEST
• Application Number:
  US13/378,290
• Publication Number:
  US 20120095441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,751 Days
• Field of Search: 604/290, 604/291, 604/506, 604/522, 604/113, 604/114
• US Class Current: 604/113
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3653 by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/282 by compression of deformable ampoule or carpule wall
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3298 Needles arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/445 the media being heated in the reservoir, e.g. warming bloodbags

Abstract

A method and apparatus for thawing and delivery of cryogenically frozen biological material, such as stem cells includes a housing for receiving a pouch of frozen cells, a heating element against which the pouch is placed for applying defrosting heat to the pouch, and a squeezing apparatus for applying a squeezing force to the pouch after or upon thawing of the cells. The squeezing force may be applied by a roller pressing the pouch against the heating element, which forces the thawed cells from a needle or tube connected to the housing and/or to the pouch. A rechargeable battery in the housing supplies power to the heating element and the squeezing apparatus.

Claims

1. An apparatus for thawing and delivery of biological material, comprising:

a housing defining an interior space;

a thermoelectric heating element mounted in said interior space and having a heating surface configured to receive a biological material container;

a squeezing apparatus mounted in said interior space and operable to exert a squeezing force on a biological material container received at the heating surface of said thermoelectric heating element; and

a control for applying power to said thermoelectric heating element so as to warm biological material within the biological material container and to operate said squeezing apparatus so as to deliver the warmed biological material from the biological material container;

wherein said squeezing apparatus is a roller pressing the biological material container against the thermoelectric heating device and operable to squeeze biological material from the container.

2. An apparatus for thawing and delivery of biological material, comprising:

a housing defining an interior space, the housing defining a compartment within the housing, the housing being configured to enclose a container of biological material within the compartment when in a closed condition;

a thermoelectric heating element mounted in said interior space and having a heating surface configured to receive a biological material container;

a squeezing apparatus mounted in said interior space and operable to exert a squeezing force on a biological material container received at the heating surface of said thermoelectric heating element, the squeezing apparatus being operable to exert the squeezing force while the housing remains in the closed condition; and

a control for applying power to said thermoelectric heating element so as to warm biological material within the biological material container and to operate said squeezing apparatus so as to deliver the warmed biological material from the biological material container;

wherein said housing includes a first portion defining a fixed housing portion and a second portion having a selectively openable portion to provide access to the heating surface by a biological material container.

3. An apparatus for thawing and delivery of biological material, comprising:

a housing defining an interior space, the housing defining a compartment within the housing, the housing being configured to enclose a container of biological material within the compartment when in a closed condition;

a thermoelectric heating element mounted in said interior space and having a heating surface configured to receive a biological material container;

a squeezing apparatus mounted in said interior space and operable to exert a squeezing force on a biological material container received at the heating surface of said thermoelectric heating element, the squeezing apparatus being operable to exert the squeezing force while the housing remains in the closed condition;

a control for applying power to said thermoelectric heating element so as to warm biological material within the biological material container and to operate said squeezing apparatus so as to deliver the warmed biological material from the biological material container; and

a rechargeable battery within the housing connected to supply power to at least one of said thermoelectric heating element and said squeezing apparatus.

4. An apparatus for thawing and delivery of biological material, comprising:

a housing defining an interior space, the housing defining a compartment within the housing, the housing being configured to enclose a container of biological material within the compartment when in a closed condition;

a thermoelectric heating element mounted in said interior space and having a heating surface configured to receive a biological material container;

a squeezing apparatus mounted in said interior space and operable to exert a squeezing force on a biological material container received at the heating surface of said thermoelectric heating element, the squeezing apparatus being operable to exert the squeezing force while the housing remains in the closed condition;

a control for applying power to said thermoelectric heating element so as to warm biological material within the biological material container and to operate said squeezing apparatus so as to deliver the warmed biological material from the biological material container; and

a hand grip surface on an outside of the housing including finger notches formed into the housing, the housing being configured for holding in a user'"'"'s hand.

5. An apparatus for thawing and delivery of biological material, comprising:

a housing defining an interior space, the housing defining a compartment within the housing, the housing being configured to enclose a container of biological material within the compartment when in a closed condition;

a thermoelectric heating element mounted in said interior space and having a heating surface configured to receive a biological material container;

a squeezing apparatus mounted in said interior space and operable to exert a squeezing force on a biological material container received at the heating surface of said thermoelectric heating element, the squeezing apparatus being operable to exert the squeezing force while the housing remains in the closed condition;

a control for applying power to said thermoelectric heating element so as to warm biological material within the biological material container and to operate said squeezing apparatus so as to deliver the warmed biological material from the biological material container; and

contacts on said housing for receiving recharging power.

6. A method for delivering frozen biological materials, comprising the steps of:

inserting a container of frozen biological materials into an enclosed compartment within a delivery device in thermal contact with a heating element;

applying a heat to the container of frozen biological materials to thaw the biological materials;

applying a squeezing force on the container while the container is in thermal contact with the heating element; and

delivering thawed biological materials from the container while the container of biological materials remains within the enclosed compartment;

wherein said step of inserting a container includes;

pivotably opening a portion of a housing of a delivery device;

inserting the container into the delivery device at the open portion; and

pivotably closing the portion of the housing to enclose the container within the delivery device.

7. A method for delivering frozen biological materials, comprising the steps of:

inserting a container of frozen biological materials into a delivery device in thermal contact with a heating element;

applying a heat to the container of frozen biological materials to thaw the biological materials;

applying a squeezing force on the container while the container is in thermal contact with the heating element; and

delivering thawed biological materials from the container;

wherein said container is inserted into a handheld delivery device that encloses the container, the heating element, and the squeezing apparatus.

8. An apparatus for delivery of frozen biological material, comprising:

a housing having a conical first end and a second end, said conical first end defining a delivery opening;

a pivotably openable portion of the housing;

a thermoelectric heating element having a flat heating surface and mounted within an openable portion of the housing, the flat heating surface being configured to receive a pouch of frozen biological material and being operable to apply heat to the pouch;

a roller mounted within the housing and disposed to receive a pouch of frozen biological material between said roller and said heating element;

a motor operably connected to said roller and operable to rotate said roller so as to cause the roller to squeeze the pouch of biological material; and

a delivery conduit extending from said delivery opening of said conical first end of said housing through which the biological material is delivered upon application of squeezing force by the roller on the thawed biological material in the pouch.