Methods and systems for storing medical implants under sustained vacuum

Abstract

Methods and systems for improving the shelf life of a medical graft generally comprising a medical implant container having at least one graft cavity configured to hold at least one graft under a first vacuum and a needle entry port in fluid communication with the at least one graft cavity, the needle entry port being configured to receive and communicate a material to the at least one graft cavity and an outer chamber configured to hold the medical implant container under a second vacuum.

1 . A kit for storing medical grafts under vacuum, comprising:
 a medical implant container comprising:
 at least one graft cavity configured to hold at least one graft under a first vacuum; and 
 a needle entry port in fluid communication with the at least one graft cavity, the needle entry port being configured to receive and communicate a material to the at least one graft cavity; and 
   an outer chamber configured to hold the medical implant container under a second vacuum.   
     
     
         2 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the first vacuum and second vacuum are between  1  and 30 inHg. 
     
     
         3 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the first vacuum and second vacuum are substantially the same. 
     
     
         4 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the first vacuum and second vacuum are not substantially the same. 
     
     
         5 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the outer chamber is made of a material selected from the group consisting of SiOx, foil, ACLAR, EVOH, PVOH. Alox, SiOx-F and PET, metal, glass, plastic, polymers and ceramics. 
     
     
         6 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the outer chamber is compatible with sterilization techniques selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxide sterilization, gamma radiation sterilization and e-beam radiation sterilization. 
     
     
         7 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the outer chamber includes a transparent portion for visualization of the medical implant container within. 
     
     
         8 . The kit of  claim 1 , further comprising a mechanical insert configured to engage the medical implant container and reduce stress imparted on the medical implant container when under the second vacuum. 
     
     
         9 . The kit of  claim 8 , wherein the mechanical insert is a rigid material selected from the group consisting of rigid polymer plastics, polystyrene, polypropylene, metal, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and ABS plastic. 
     
     
         10 . A medical graft storage system, comprising:
 at least one medical graft;   a medical implant container comprising:
 at least one graft cavity configured to hold at least one graft under a first vacuum; and 
 a needle entry port in fluid communication with the at least one graft cavity, the needle entry port being configured to receive and communicate a material to the at least one graft cavity; and 
   an outer chamber configured to hold the medical implant container under a second vacuum.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the first vacuum and second vacuum are between 1 and 30 inHg. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the first vacuum and second vacuum are substantially the same. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the first vacuum and second vacuum are not substantially the same. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the outer chamber includes a transparent portion for visualization of the medical implant container within. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the outer chamber is made of a material selected from the group consisting of SiOx, foil, ACLAR, EVOH, PVOH. Alox, SiOx-F and PET, metal, glass, plastic, polymers and ceramics. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising a mechanical insert configured to engage the medical implant container and reduce stress imparted on the medical implant container when under the second vacuum. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the material is a biological material. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein at least one medical graft is selected from the group consisting of freeze-dried bone grafts, dehydrated bone grafts and synthetic grafts. 
     
     
         19 . A method of increasing the shelf life of vacuum imposed on a medical implant prior to delivery to a patient, comprising:
 providing a medical implant;   placing the medical implant in a medical implant container comprising:
 a medical implant cavity configured to hold the medical implant under a first vacuum; and 
 a needle entry port in fluid communication with the a medical implant cavity, the needle entry port being configured to receive and communicate a material to the medical implant cavity; 
   placing the medical implant container in an outer chamber; and   applying second vacuum to said outer chamber.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the medical implant is a medical graft.