Apparatus and method for sterilizing, seeding, culturing, storing, shipping and testing tissue, synthetic or native, vascular grafts
US5792603A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 27, 1996 |
| Grant date | Aug 11, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 27, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S623/912
- WIPO fieldBiotechnology
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
An apparatus and method for sterilizing, seeding, culturing, storing, shipping, and testing vascular grafts is disclosed. Specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for seeding and culturing vascular grafts with human cells. The apparatus includes a fluid reservoir, a pump, an alternating pressure source, and at least one treatment chamber. By alternating pressure to a support structure within the treatment chamber upon which a vascular graft scaffold is positioned, a varying radial stress is placed on the scaffold. In an alternative embodiment, fluid is pumped directly through the vascular graft subjecting the vascular graft to radial and shear stresses. Applying shear and/or radial stresses to the vascular graft during seeding and culturing simulates physiological conditions.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.