KIT AND METHOD FOR HARVESTING ENDOTHELIAL CELLS AND INOCULATING A VASCULAR PROSTHESIS

A kit for seeding a prosthetic vascular graft is provided having an endothelial cell harvester, a vascular graft seeder, a temperature control element, and a support structure to house each of the elements of the kit. The cell harvester included in the kit comprises a rigid rod, adapted to be inserted into a donor vein, a bulb affixed to one end of the rigid rod, the bulb having a plurality of irrigation holes, a rigid tube affixed to the bulb and communicating with the interior of the bulb, an inflatable balloon affixed to the rigid rod, and a multiple lumen flexible tube, with one lumen communicating with the inflatable balloon and at least one lumen communicating with the interior of the bulb, each of said lumens terminating in a valve member at the free end of the lumen. The prosthetic vascular graft seeder comprises an inoculation trough adapted to receive a prosthetic graft therein, and further being adapted to prevent the graft from rolling about its longitudinal axis. The temperature control element comprises a first reservoir that is coextensive with and substantially surrounds the inoculation trough, and which is adapted to be filled with a pre-warmed fluid. The support structure supports the inoculation trough and first reservoir, and further comprises a flat surface having an opening adapted to receive the cell harvester therein. The temperature control element, in one version, has a second reservoir situated directly beneath the opening in the flat surface, said second reservoir being confluent with the first reservoir.