Patent ID: 8876692
Filing Date: 2014-11-04
Classification: A01N,A61F

Abstract:
1. A method of preserving a harvested blood vessel comprising: harvesting a blood vessel from a patient, the vessel having a length, a longitudinal axis, a proximal terminus, a distal terminus, a lumen, and an outer surface, the proximal terminus of the harvested vessel being that terminus through which blood entered the harvested vessel and the distal terminus being that terminus of the vessel through which blood exited the harvested vessel while the harvested vessel was still within a host's natural circulation; attaching the proximal terminus of the harvested vessel to a stationary attachment fixture, said fixture having a length, a proximal end, a distal end and a central bore running the length of said stationary fixture, said central bore being continuous with and in fluid communication with openings located at the proximal and distal ends of the stationary fixture so as to form a fluid conduit, wherein, when the proximal terminus of the harvested vessel is attached to the distal end of the stationary fixture, the lumen of the vessel is placed in fluid communication with the distal opening, central bore and proximal opening of the stationary attachment fixture; attaching the distal terminus of the harvested vessel to a non-stationary fixture having a length, a proximal end, a distal end, and a central bore, said central bore of the non-stationary fixture being continuous with and in fluid communication with openings located at the proximal and distal ends of the non-stationary fixture, wherein, when the distal terminus of the harvested vessel is attached to the proximal end of the non-stationary fixture, the lumen of the vessel is in fluid communication with the proximal opening, central bore and distal opening of the non-stationary fixture; introducing the non-stationary fixture, harvested vessel and stationary attachment fixture into a central bore of a container having a length, a central bore running the length of the container, a proximal terminus and a distal terminus, the proximal terminus of the container being open and in fluid communication with the central bore of the container and the distal terminus being closed so as to form a fluid tight seal; securely attaching the stationary attachment fixture to the proximal terminus of the container so as to fix the position of the proximal terminus of the blood vessel affixed thereto while positioning the non-stationary fixture within the central bore of the container in such a manner as to enable the non-stationary fixture and the distal terminus of the vessel attached thereto, to move and freely extend along the length of the central bore of the container; sealing the proximal terminus of the container so as to form a fluid tight seal for the central bore of the container except for: maintaining a fluid conduit running from outside of the container through the proximal opening, central bore and distal opening of the stationary attachment fixture to the proximal terminus, lumen and distal terminus of the blood vessel which, in turn, is in fluid communication with the central bore of the container by means of the proximal opening, the central bore and distal opening of the non-stationary fixture; and maintaining a fluid conduit provided by an outlet fitting located at the proximal end of the container adjacent to the stationary attachment fixture, the outlet fitting thereby providing fluid communication from outside of the container to the central bore of the vessel container; directing a stream of pulsatile blood through the opening located at the proximal end of the stationary attachment fixture so as to cause said stream of pulsatile blood to flow through the conduit formed by the central bore of the stationary attachment fixture, the distal opening thereof, the lumen of the blood vessel, through the conduit formed by the proximal opening, bore and distal opening of the non-stationary attachment fixture, said pulsatile stream of blood thereafter being directed so as to fill said container thereby completely bathing the outside surface of the blood vessel therein with the stream of pulsatile blood before exiting the container through the outlet fitting; and re-circulating the stream of pulsatile blood through the conduit formed by the stationary attachment fixture so as to provide a continuous circulatory path of pulsatile blood; wherein when the pulsatile stream of blood flows through the lumen of the blood vessel, it fills the lumen of the blood vessel and causes the blood vessel to extend to its full natural length as well as to align with a longitudinal axis of the container and, after the pulsatile blood stream has filled the container, it exits the container and is re-circulated through the stationary attachment fixture to form a continuous blood flow circuit.