Patent ID: 7758560

Claim:
A method of accessing materials from a sealed vial, comprising: providing a latching extraction element comprising a body portion, an extraction member on the body portion adapted to be inserted into the vial, a preceding engaging member mounted the body portion, and a primary engaging member mounted on the body portion to secure the vial to the extraction member, the preceding engaging member including a plurality of latch arms extending from the body portion in a direction common with the extraction member, the primary engaging member including a plurality of latch arms extending from the body portion in the common direction, the latch arms of the preceding engaging member extending a greater distance from the body portion in the common direction than the latch arms of the primary engaging member; placing the vial into an impermeable isolation enclosure through a selectively sealable opening thereof; securing the vial in a preceding fixed position in which the vial is secured to the latching extraction element but the extraction member is outside the vial by forcing the vial between and into engagement with the latch arms of the preceding engaging member; mounting the latching extraction element within and to the impermeable isolation enclosure; sealing closed the selectively sealable opening of the impermeable isolation enclosure; securing the vial to the latching extraction element in a primary fixed position by forcing the vial into engagement between the latch arms of the primary engaging member such that the extraction member pierces the vial; selectively accessing the contents of the vial externally from the closed impermeable isolation enclosure via a normally closed valve mounted to and outside of the impermeable isolation enclosure and in fluid communication with the extraction member of the latching extraction element; removing at least a portion of the contents of the vial through the valve and into a needleless syringe; transferring removed portion in isolation and maintaining a remaining portion of the contents in isolation within the vial while the vial remains pierced by the extraction member and in the primary fixed position; and adding a diluent to the vial via the valve while the vial is pierced and in the primary fixed position and the impermeable isolation enclosure is closed; wherein the step of adding the diluent includes venting gas from the vial through a vent channel extending through both the extraction member and the body portion to a vent port within the closed impermeable isolation enclosure.