Sterile transfer of fluid

Abstract

A syringe rack securable to a surface of a fixture and configured for facilitating a sterile transfer of fluid from a non-sterile environment to a sterile environment. The syringe rack includes a securing portion and a syringe-receiving station. The syringe-receiving portion is coupled to the securing portion and configured to receive the syringe in a selectively releasable coupling arrangement where the syringe is oriented such that an opening in a barrel of a syringe projects away from the fixture when the syringe is received by the syringe-receiving station and when the securing portion is secured to the surface of the fixture.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A medical rack securable to a surface of a fixture and configured for transferring fluid from a non-sterile environment to a sterile environment including a syringe having a tab extending radially from a barrel of the syringe, an opening at a distal end of the barrel, and a plunger extending from a proximal end of the barrel, the medical rack comprising:
 a securing portion configured for selectively releasable securing to the surface of the fixture; and   a syringe-receiving station coupled to the securing portion and configured to receive the syringe in a selectively releasable coupling arrangement where the syringe is oriented such that the opening projects away from the fixture when the syringe is received by the syringe-receiving station and the securing portion is secured to the surface of the fixture.   
     
     
         2 . The medical rack of  claim 1 , wherein the medical rack is so configured such that the plunger can be proximally extended without contacting the fixture when the syringe is received by the syringe-receiving station and the securing portion is secured to the surface of the fixture. 
     
     
         3 . The medical rack of  claim 1 , wherein the syringe-receiving station comprises upper and lower elements that are vertically spaced-apart from each other, the upper and lower elements each configured for selectively releasable coupling with the syringe. 
     
     
         4 . The medical rack of  claim 3 , wherein one of the upper or lower elements is configured to inhibit at least lateral displacement of the syringe when coupled to the syringe, and the other of upper or lower elements is configured to inhibit at least longitudinal displacement of the syringe when coupled to the syringe. 
     
     
         5 . The medical rack of  claim 4 , wherein the other of the upper and lower elements is further configured to inhibit both longitudinal and lateral displacement of the syringe when coupled to the syringe. 
     
     
         6 . The medical rack of  claim 5 , wherein the upper element receives the barrel near the distal end, and the lower element receives the tab. 
     
     
         7 . The medical rack of  claim 3 , wherein the upper element is configured to inhibit lateral displacement of the syringe when coupled to the syringe, and the lower element is configured to inhibit both lateral and longitudinal displacement of the syringe when coupled to the syringe. 
     
     
         8 . The medical rack of  claim 3 , wherein the upper element comprises a syringe-receiving recess that is vertically aligned with the lower element, which comprises a syringe-receiving space. 
     
     
         9 . The medical rack of  claim 8 , wherein the syringe-receiving recess is configured to receive therein the barrel near the distal end, and the syringe-receiving space is configured to receive the barrel near the proximal end. 
     
     
         10 . The medical rack of  claim 9 , wherein the syringe-receiving space is further configured to receive the tab. 
     
     
         11 . The medical rack of  claim 10 , wherein the syringe-receiving space defines a slot perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the syringe-receiving station, the slot being configured to receiving therein the tab. 
     
     
         12 . The medical rack of  claim 8 , wherein the syringe-receiving recess comprises a configuration that results in the barrel snapping into place within the syringe-receiving space. 
     
     
         13 . The medical rack of  claim 1 , wherein the syringe-receiving station is coupled to the securing portion via a selectively removable configuration. 
     
     
         14 . The medical rack of  claim 1 , wherein the syringe-receiving station includes a lock that prevents lateral escape of the syringe from the syringe-receiving station. 
     
     
         15 . The medical rack of  claim 14 , wherein the lock is adapted to rotationally engage the tab of the barrel of the syringe. 
     
     
         16 . A method of employing the medical rack of  claim 1  for transferring fluid from the non-sterile to the sterile environment, the method comprising:
 loading the syringe with the fluid from the non-sterile environment while the syringe is received by the syringe-receiving station such that the opening projects away from the fixture when the syringe is received by the syringe-receiving station and the securing portion is secured to the surface of the fixture. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the medical rack is so configured such that the plunger can be proximally extended without contacting the fixture when the syringe is received by the syringe-receiving station and the securing portion is secured to the surface of the fixture. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , the syringe-receiving station comprises upper and lower elements that are vertically spaced-apart from each other, the upper and lower elements each configured for selectively releasable coupling with the syringe. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein one of the upper or lower elements is configured to inhibit at least lateral displacement of the syringe when coupled to the syringe, and the other of upper or lower elements is configured to inhibit at least longitudinal displacement of the syringe when coupled to the syringe. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the other of the upper and lower elements is further configured to inhibit both longitudinal and lateral displacement of the syringe when coupled to the syringe. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the upper element receives the barrel near the distal end, and the lower element receives the tab. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the upper element is configured to inhibit lateral displacement of the syringe when coupled to the syringe, and the lower element is configured to inhibit both lateral and longitudinal displacement of the syringe when coupled to the syringe. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the upper element comprises a syringe-receiving recess that is vertically aligned with the lower element, which comprises a syringe-receiving space. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the syringe-receiving recess is configured to receive therein the barrel near the distal end, and the syringe-receiving space is configured to receive the barrel near the proximal end. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the syringe-receiving space is further configured to receive the tab. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the syringe-receiving station is coupled to the securing portion via a selectively removable configuration. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the non-sterile environment comprises a non-sterile syringe containing the fluid, the non-sterile syringe configured to couple with the syringe via a butterfly tip in order to transfer the fluid. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising coupling the non-sterile syringe to the syringe via the butterfly tip prior to loading the syringe with the fluid.