A support assembly for supporting a biological product (e.g., membrane) in an operative position. The support assembly has a base and a cover. A membrane receiving portion of the base defines a plurality of perforations that extend between top and bottom surfaces of the product receiving portion. The cover is releasably coupled to the base in a product-covering position in which the cover overlies the product receiving portion of the base. In the operative position, the biological product engages the top surface of the product receiving portion and the bottom surface of the cover.

A contact lens package includes a silicone hydrogel contact lens, a packaging container composed of a polypropylene, and a packaging solution containing a nonionic surfactant, the nonionic surfactant including a linear alkyl moiety having 12 or more carbon atoms and an oxyethylene moiety, the average addition mole number of oxyethylene being 30 or more per mole of the nonionic surfactant.

A method of preparing a ready-to-use catheter by providing a catheter assembly that has a first compartment that includes a catheter therein. The catheter includes on at least a part of its surface an exterior coating designed to reduce the coefficient of friction after treatment with a liquid swelling medium, and a second compartment containing a liquid swelling medium. The method includes sterilizing the catheter assembly, adding the liquid swelling medium to the first compartment for wetting/activating the exterior coating of the catheter, and storing the ready-to-use catheter. By using the method according to the invention, the sterilization of the catheter is effectuated in a dry-state, ensuring that the known problems with wet-sterilization are completely eliminated and the need for preparing complicated and expensive liquid swelling mediums are no longer required.

A method of preparing a ready-to-use catheter by providing a catheter assembly that has a first compartment that includes a catheter therein. The catheter includes on at least a part of its surface an exterior coating designed to reduce the coefficient of friction after treatment with a liquid swelling medium, and a second compartment containing a liquid swelling medium. The method includes sterilizing the catheter assembly, adding the liquid swelling medium to the first compartment for wetting/activating the exterior coating of the catheter, and storing the ready-to-use catheter. By using the method according to the invention, the sterilization of the catheter is effectuated in a dry-state, ensuring that the known problems with wet-sterilization are completely eliminated and the need for preparing complicated and expensive liquid swelling mediums are no longer required.

A system for preserving a surgically explanted tissue sample has a first packing station for placing the tissue sample in a selected container among a plurality of containers of different sizes. Each container has a hermetic lid (50) with an opening (33) equipped with a non-return valve (51). The system also has a final packing station equipped with a filling system for filling the selected container with a preservative substance, including a nozzle-holding head (28) mounted movable on a vertical guide (29). A method is also described which provides for the selection of the container based on the evaluation of the volume of the tissue sample, the hermetic closure of the container immediately after the insertion of the tissue sample. and the filling of the container by means of a nozzle (31) of a filling system inserted in the non-return valve (51) of the hermetic lid (50).

A system for preserving a surgically explanted tissue sample has a first packing station for placing the tissue sample in a selected container among a plurality of containers of different sizes. Each container has a hermetic lid (50) with an opening (33) equipped with a non-return valve (51). The system also has a final packing station equipped with a filling system for filling the selected container with a preservative substance, including a nozzle-holding head (28) mounted movable on a vertical guide (29). A method is also described which provides for the selection of the container based on the evaluation of the volume of the tissue sample, the hermetic closure of the container immediately after the insertion of the tissue sample. and the filling of the container by means of a nozzle (31) of a filling system inserted in the non-return valve (51) of the hermetic lid (50).

The present invention relates to improved contact lens products which not only have an improved and sustainable wettability. The contact lens product of the invention comprises a soft hydrogel contact lens immersed and autoclaved in a packaging solution including a polyoxyethylene-polyoxybutylene block copolymer and a high molecular weight copolymer of N-vinylpyrrolidone and at least one amino-containing vinylic monomer. The present invention also provides methods for making contact lens products of the invention.

The present invention relates to improved contact lens products which not only have an improved and sustainable wettability. The contact lens product of the invention comprises a soft hydrogel contact lens immersed and autoclaved in a packaging solution including a polyoxyethylene-polyoxybutylene block copolymer and a high molecular weight copolymer of N-vinylpyrrolidone and at least one amino-containing vinylic monomer. The present invention also provides methods for making contact lens products of the invention.

The present invention is a method and an apparatus for packaging lyophilized implants and other medical devices. In accordance with the invention, a lyophilized implant may be packaged for delivery to the surgical site in a sealed, flexible/expandable, sterile inner pouch. The inner pouch may be further packaged within an outer, sterile package. The inner pouch contains a resealable port through which rehydration liquid may be introduced into the inner pouch without opening the inner pouch. The inner pouch may be made of a flexible, substantially non-stretchable material so that the pouch can expand only to a predetermined maximum size to accept a predetermined volume of rehydration liquid. After rehydration, any excess rehydration liquid within the pouch may be removed via the same port. Next, the pouch is opened via a second opening to expose the implant for removal from the package.

The present invention is a method and an apparatus for packaging lyophilized implants and other medical devices. In accordance with the invention, a lyophilized implant may be packaged for delivery to the surgical site in a sealed, flexible/expandable, sterile inner pouch. The inner pouch may be further packaged within an outer, sterile package. The inner pouch contains a resealable port through which rehydration liquid may be introduced into the inner pouch without opening the inner pouch. The inner pouch may be made of a flexible, substantially non-stretchable material so that the pouch can expand only to a predetermined maximum size to accept a predetermined volume of rehydration liquid. After rehydration, any excess rehydration liquid within the pouch may be removed via the same port. Next, the pouch is opened via a second opening to expose the implant for removal from the package.