AU6577280A - System for the sterile mixing of materials - Google Patents

Description

SYSTEM FOR THE STERILE MIXING OF MATERIALS

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In parenteral solution therapy, supplemental medication is often added to the patient along with the bulk solutions. This may be conveniently done, for example, by means of the ADD-A-LINE and the CONTINUFLO sets for parenteral solution administration sold by Travenol

Laboratories, Inc. of Deerfield, Illinois, and described, for example, in U.S. Patents 4,034,754 and 4,105,029. Accordingly, materials such as antibiotic may be administered at the physician's option on an intermittent basis during intravenous solution treatment by means of a connection into the main intravenous solution line communicating with the venous system of the patient, or on a continuous basis by addition to the bulk solution. In a large hospital operation, it of course would be desirable to have the supplemental medicament materials ready in their liquid, diluted form for immediate administration at the option of the physician. However, many of these materials must be stored in the dry form until immediately before use, particularly because of the danger of contamination through bacterial growth, or lack of pharmaceutical stability, which may result when the liquid or dry medicament is mixed or reconstituted by adding a diluent a substantial period of time before its administration. In accordance with this invention, a sterile system is provided in which liquid or dry medicament materials or the like may be mixed or reconstituted with a sterile diluent at a convenient time substantially prior to the time of use, while at the same time retaining the reliable, sterile seal of the system so that multiplication of bacteria in the system is not a problem. As a result of this, fluid or dry medicaments and the like can be mixed or reconstituted with diluent in a hospital pharmacy, for example, at a convenient slack period time, and stored for use at a future date. Then, when the medicament is needed, it is ready in liquid form for immediate use. without having to go through the time-consuming effort of reconstituting the material with diluen at the time when it is needed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with this invention, a vial is provided which comprises a self-supporting body defining a mouth portion, and a closure sealingly occluding the mouth portion. The closure carries in sealing manner a conduit member which comprises a connector member for providing sealed communication between the connector member and a corresponding connector member.

The connector member comprises transparent housing means, and a thermoplastic, opaque wall portion positioned as part of the wall of the housing means. Means for connecting the housing means to a housing means of another connector member having a corresponding thermoplastic wall portion are provided so that the connection may be made between the housings in such a manner as to bring the respective thermoplastic wall portions together into facing contact.

As the result of this, upon exposure of the connected housings to radiant energy, the thermoplastic wall portions in facing contact can fuse together and open an aperture through said opaque wall portion, to provide a connection between the interiors of the respective housings.

The inventive principle of the sterile connector means which is utilized in this invention is as described in the Granzow, et al. U.S. Patent No. 4,157,723, as well as the Ammann, et al. Patent Application Serial No. 005,749, filed January 23, 1979, and Boggs, et al. Patent Application Serial No. 027,575, filed April 6, 1979. The principle utilizes the concept, as described therein, that the transparent sealed housings permit the passage of radiation such as visible light or infrared radiation, while the abutting, opaque membranes absorb the infrared radiation and heat to their melting or softening point, whereby the two thermoplastic wall portions fuse together and form an aperture by the flow of molten material of the membrane so that the two membranes seal together about the aperture into a common mass.

While it is presently preferred for both of the thermoplastic wall portions to be opaque to the particular radiant energy used, it is contemplated as an alternative technique for only one of the thermoplastic portions to be opaque, while the other thermoplastic wall portion of the housing means of another connector member may be transparent. In fact, such a housing means of the other connector, carrying a transparent, thermoplast wall portion, could in some circumstances be opaque in its own right, with the hole-opening function between the abutting thermoplastic wall portions being effected by the absorption of radiant energy by the opaque, thermplastic wall portion through the transparent housing, with conduction of heat from the opaque wall portion to the abutting transparent thermoplastic wall portion. It is generally currently preferred to select a predominantly crystalline plastic material for the thermoplastic wall portions as described in the abovecited Boggs, et al. patent application, for example, a carbon-filled poly (4-methyl-l-pentene) which is sold under the name TPX by Mitsui Chemical Company. Such materials may preferably have a crystalline melting point of above 200º C.

Accordingly, the fusing and hole-opening step can provide indication that the walls of the newly-formed aperture through the abutting opaque membranes have been exposed to a sterilizing temperature, giving a highly reliable indication of the formation of a sterile connection.

As the result of this, the diluent can pass to the vial to reconstitute the dry medicament with firm reliability that sterility has not been breached, despite the formation of a new connection between the two containers.

As one embodiment of the vial of this invention, a generally rigid bottle member may define a mouth portion, and may carry a puncturable, resealable stopper means retained in the mouth portion. The connector member may be carried in this instance by a tubular cannula defining an inwardly-pointed spike adapted to penetrate the puncturable stopper means. A flexible seal such as a flexible boot member may be sealed to the mouth of the vial at one end, being sealed to the cannula, for example at an intermediate point thereof, to permit manual penetration of the cannula through the stopper means. This provides a double sealed configuration in which the contents of the container are also sealed from the conduit and the connector member until the spike penetrates the stopper means.

Accordingly, sterile connection may be first made between the connector member and its corresponding connector member of another container, and then final, sterile access to the vial contents may be obtained by pushing the spike through the stopper means.

As an alternative configuration to the above, the conduit member of the vial which defines the connector member may also define, adjacent its other end, a closed end wall sealed within the closure. Means are then provided for rupturing the conduit member to open the other end upon manual manipulation thereof from the outside. This sort of structure may include a cannula capable of being pushed through a membrane in the manner similar to the "Cell-Proof" closure on many Blood Packs^® sold by the Fenwal division of Travenol Laboratories, Inc.

Specifically, the closed end wall described above may be openable by means of a projecting member which extends outwardly from the closed end wall. Accordingly, when the closure is relatively flexible, manual bending of the projecting member can cause rupture of the end wall to permit the opening of the conduit member. This structure may be similar to structures as defined in Bayham U.S. Patent Application No. 876,790, filed February 10, 1978.

As a further alternative, the vial in accordance with this invention may define a body which is selfsupporting of its shape, but sufficiently resilient to be manually collapsible. The container may, for example, comprise a shoulder member to which a semi-rigid, cupshaped member is sealed.

As a further embodiment, the vial utilized in this invention may have a body which defines a plurality of bellows-like convolutions so that the vial, which is made of semi-rigid material, may be manually collapsed by flexing of the convolutions.

As a further alternative, a separate adaptor may be provided for sterile connection between the interior of a vial which defines a mouth portion and a closure including a puncturable membrane. This adaptor may be used to adapt any vial for sterile connection with another container.

The adaptor defines a cannula member including a pointed rear end, and a forward end which defines the connector member as previously described, for providing sealed connection with a similar connector member. Alternatively, a flexible, collapsible container equipped with a sterile connector as disclosed herein may be used, independently and apart from the vial, for connection with another container such as another flexible, collapsible container utilizing the structures and methods as disclosed and claimed herein.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevational view of a supplemental medication administering system in accordance with this invention, in which a vial and a flexible, collapsible container are linked together in sterile connection.

Figure 2 is an elevational view showing, how the flexible collapsible container of Figure 1, after having dissolved and received the dry, solid contents of the vial, may be connected to a supplemental medication administration set positioned in connection with a conventional administration set for parenteral solution. Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of one embodiment of a vial which may be utilized in accordance with this invention in the connected system of Figure 1.

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are vertical sectional views showing alternative embodiments of vials which may be used as a substitute for the vial of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a detailed, fragmentary elevational view of a bag similar to Figure 1, but using the connector of

Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing how the closed system of Figure 1 may be manipulated after opening of the connection between the two containers shown to remove liquid from container 12.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a supplemental medication administering system 10 in which a vial 12 is provided in sterile connection with a flexible, collapsible container 14, which may be generally similar in construction to the Mini-Bag sold by Travenol Laboratories, Inc., of Deerfield, Illinois, modified as described herein. Vial 12, on the other hand, may be similar to conventional dosage ampules except for the modifications described below.

Vial 12 may typically contain a liquid or solid medicament material 16, and may further define a closure 20 for sealingly occluding mouth portion 18. Closure 20 may further include a latex needle -pierceable stopper 22 (Figure 3), and may carry in sealed manner a conduit member 24 which includes at its outer end a connection member 26 for providing sealed connection between itself and a corresponding connector member 28, which is carried on the end of conduit 30 in sealed relation with collapsible bag 14.

Connector members 26, 28 may be of a design as specifically described in Patent No. 4,157,723, or the Ammann, et al. or Botts, et al. patent applications previously cited, each preferably comprising a transparent housing means 32, and a thermoplastic, opaque wall portion 34, positioned as part of the wall of the housing means 32. Connecting means 36 are provided for connecting the respective connectors 26, 28 together, with the respective opaque walls 34 being brought together into facing contact.

Accordingly, sterile connection is achieved as previously described by exposing the connected housings to radiant energy such as infrared radiation, so that the opaque wall portions in facing contact can fuse together and open an aperture through the opaque wall portions to provide a sterile connection between the interiors of the respective housings without disconnection thereof. This provides of course a connection between containers 12 and 14, permitting diluent, for example, in bag 14 to flow into contact with the solid, dry material 16 of vial 12. The system may be agitated by shaking without opening, and then the liquid contents, carrying dissolved or suspended material 16, may be allowed to flow back into bag 14. If the contents 16 are liquid, they can directly flow into bag 14.

Conduit member 24, carried by connector member 26, may carry a sharpened point or spike 58 at its end so that, after connection and opening between connector members 26, 28 has been made, a further connection between the contents of the vial 16 can be opened by the point 58 penetrating through stopper 22. Correspondingly, as shown in Figure 7, connector member 28a, mounted on bag 14, may correspondingly carry a hollow pointed spike member 37, which, in turn, is connected to conduit 30 of bag 14, by means of a flexible, tubular boot member 39. Positioned within conduit 30 is a tubular member 41 which carries a needle-pierceable diaphragm 43. Accordingly, after the sealed connection has been made between connector member 28a and another connector member on a vial such as vial 12, spike member 37 may be advanced to penetrate diaphragm 43, which is possible because of the presence of flexible boot 39, so that an open channel is formed between the inside of vial 12 and the interior of bag 14. Alternatively, spike member 37 and diaphragm 43 may be replaced, if desired, by a breakaway projecting member extending outwardly from a closed end of a tubular structure analogous to spike member 37, in a manner similar to that shown in Figure 4.

Following this, flexible tubing 30, which may be made of a heat sealable material such as polyvinyl chloride plastic, may be clamped or preferably heat sealed to provide a sealed end 38 to bag 14, and the tubing 30 outside of the sealed end may be severed to get rid of vial 12 and the connectors 26, 28. At this point, the contents of bag 14 remain reliably sterile, and may be stored for a period of time which is considerably lower than in the case where a conventional, aseptic connection between containers 12 and 14 has been made.

When the time arrives for use of the liquid contents, containing the material 16 such as a powdered antibiotic, an aseptic connection may be made through added conventional sealed port 40 in bag 14 by means of supplemental medication set 42, for example, which may be of the type previously described and sold by Travenol Laboratories, Inc. Supplemental medication set 42 may, in turn, be connected to a Y-site 44 of an appropriate administration set 46 such as the ADD-A-LINE set described above. The set may be connected with a conventional parenteral solution container 48; the set primed; and the set needle 50 may be inserted into the venous system of the patient as shown in Figure 2. By this technique, conventional parenteral solution administration may be provided to the patient by appropriate adjustment of roller clamp 52.

In use, flexible container 14 is generally set at a vertically higher level than container 48. Accordingly, when clamp 54 is opened, the contents of container 14 preferentially flow into set 46, and into the patient's venous system through needle 50, for immediate administration of supplemental medication. When the contents of bag 14 are exhausted, or clamp 54 is closed, the normal flow of liquid from parenteral solution container 48 may be resumed.

Turning to the details of vial 12, the generally rigid bottle member 54 shown in Figure 3 includes, as stated, the puncturable resealable stopper means 22 retained in mouth portion 18 by a ring retention means 56, comprising a crimped metal ring of conventional design. Conduit member 24 is defined in part by a rigid, tubular cannula which, in turn, defines an inwardly- pointed spike 58 adapted to penetrate puncturable stopper means 22. A flexible boot member 60 is sealed to the mouth 18 of the vial 12 at one end 62, by clamping action as shown on the part of ring retention means 56. At its other end, boot 60 is sealed to cannula 24 at area 64.

Boot 60 is made of a flexible, elastomeric material so that cannula 24 may be manipulated upwardly and downwardly to cause pointed end 58 to penetrate stopper 22, for communication of cannula 24 with the interior of vial 12 in aseptic manner.

Turning to Figure 4, another embodiment of the vial of this- invention is disclosed. Body 66 of the vial of Figure 4 may be self-supporting in its shape, but sufficiently resilient to be manually collapsible to assist in the expulsion of the contents within body 66. Additionally, the body 66 may have sufficient plastic memory to tend to spring out again into its original shape after manual collapse, if desired, so that the container is capable of exerting gentle suction, for facilitating the filling of body 66 with a diluent or the like. A semi-rigid closure member 68 is sealed to the open end of cup-like body 66 as shown, and defines a flexible tube 70 which is sealed at its outer end 72 to a conduit member 74 in accordance with this invention. The outer end of conduit member 74 may be integrally attached to a connector member 26a. of similar or identical design to connector member 26 previously described. At its other end from the connector member 26a, conduit member 74 defines a closed end wall 76, sealed within tubing 70, so that its inner end is in communication with the interior of body 66 of the vial of Figure 4. Means for rupturing the conduit member 76 are provided, which may constitute a structure similar to the Bayham U.S. Patent cited above.

Projecting member 78 extends outwardly from closed end wall 76 of conduit member 74. Tubing 70, constituting part of the closure of the mouth portion of the vial 66 is sufficiently resilient to permit manual bending of projecting member 78 to cause rupture of the end wall 76, to permit the opening of conduit member 74, providing communication between the interior of connector 26a and vial 66. Turning to Figure 5, a vial comprising a flexible body 80 is disclosed, in which the flexible body 80 defines a plurality of bellows-like convolutions 82 so that the vial may be manually collapsed by flexing of the convolutions, and will tend to spring back to its normal configuration, exerting suction for assisting and receiving diluent solution from another container, or the like.

As in the embodiment of Figure 4, a closure member 68a is provided, being sealed to the mouth of vial body 80 as shown. The remaining parts including conduit 74a, tubing 70a, projecting member 78a. and connector member 32a, may be identical in structure and function to the corresponding parts of Figure 4.

Referring to Figure 6, a vial 84, which may be a conventional rigid glass vial, for example, may contain a rubber stopper 86 as shown, which carries a vertically upstanding rubber sleeve 88 as an integral part of the stopper. Connector member 28a defines a transparent housing 92, having an opaque thermoplastic wall member 94 having a function similar to the previous connector members. Bayonet 96 and aperture 98 are proportioned to lockingly fit in the corresponding aperture and bayonet of a similar housing, for sterile connection in accordance with the principles previously described.

Conduit 100 communicates at one end with the chamber 102 which is partially defined by the inner surface of opaque wall member 94. At the other end of conduit 100 an end wall 104 is defined, and a projecting member 106 projecting out from wall 104 and rupturable by bending to open wall 104 in a manner similar to that described with respect to members 78 and 78a in Figures 4 and 5.

Accordingly, this vial may be opened, typically after connection of connector member 90 with mating connector member, attached, for example, to a bag similar to bag 14, by laterally bending connector member 90. Connector member 28a can flex laterally because of the presence of sleeve 88, to snap away projecting member 106 by impingement with the inner wall of the vial 84. Projecting member 106 then falls to the bottom of the vial. After opening of all of the connections between the vial (such as vial 12 or any of the other vials shown) and bag 14, for example, the flexible bag 14 may be positioned in the vertical position as shown in Figure 1, and manually squeezed to force some of the liquid contents of the bag 14 through the connection into vial 12. Upon release of manual squeezing, bubbles of air or other gas in vial 12 which is compressed by the influx of the liquid move upwardly through the connection into bag 14. Another squeeze of the bag 14 provides more liquid, until the desired amount of liquid is transferred. This technique may be used in the instance where the contents of the vial connected to bag 14 are solid. The vial 12 (or other embodiment thereof) may then be shaken to dissolve the solid contents. The bag and vial system may then be inverted to the position as shown in Figure 8. In the event that the liquid contents of the vial do not readily flow into bag 14 in a spontaneous manner, bag 14 may be squeezed again to force air or other gas in the bag into vial 12. The air bubbles rise to the top of the vial, and upon release of the pressure on bag 14, the compressed air in vial 12 forces some of the liquid 110 in the vial downwardly back into bag 14. Repeated application of pressure to bag 14 causes more air to pass into vial 12 under pressure, and, upon release, the pressurized air forces more of the liquid out until the vial 12 is empty.

Thereafter, tubing 30 may be heat-sealed and severed as described previously, and bag 14 may be placed into storage for ultimate use.

The above technique for transferring liquid to and from the bag and the vial requires certain dimensional characteristics of the double container system, or the solid and liquid contents will not be completely removable from the vial 12 in the closed system.

The parameters of the closed system shown in Figures 1 and 8 therefore preferably meet the following conditions; the air volume (which is intended to include any other gas present) in bag 14 and vial 12 (which is intended to include any design of vial used) must exceed the liquid volume of bag 14, plus the combined total internal volume of conduits 30 and 24, being the entire volume of the connection flow path for fluids between bag 14 and vial 12. Furthermore, the air volume of vial 12 must exceed the combined total internal volume of conduits 30 and 24, including the internal volumes of connectors 26,28. It is to be understood, of course, that in the specific instance of Figure 3, the volume of conduit 24 does not include the volume within boot 60 but outside of tubular conduit member 24, since conduit member 24 is positioned in sealed relation within stopper 22. Under the above conditions, when one of the containers such as bag 14 is compressible and the other of the containers is such as vial 12 is non-expansible, the above conditions provide a joined container system in which the contents of non-expansible container 12 can be completely removed by, in effect, pumping liquid out of container 12, or from container 14 into container 12 and then back out again.

Accordingly, this invention provides a means whereby the sterile contents of a vial may be brought into contact with a diluent or other ingredient of a formulation which is desirably mixed without a breach of sterility. By this invention, the reliability of sterility is so high that sensitive materials may be stored for a substantial period of time following the mixing, when such would not be advisable if merely normal aseptic techniques were followed. After such storage, the contents may be administered in any manner desired for any use in or out of the medical field, using one or more of the connected containers as shown herein, or equivalent structures.

It is also contemplated that vials may be utilized having more than one sterile connector system attached thereto, for connection with a multiplicity of other containers of various types as may be warranted by the situation.

The above has been offered for illustrative purposes only, and is not intended to limit the invention of this application, which is as defined in the claims below.

Claims (26)

THAT WHICH IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An aseptically sealed container which defines a tubular port, and a connector member sealingly carried at the outer end of said tubular port, said connector member comprising housing means having a transparent portion and a thermoplastic, opaque wall portion positioned as part of the wall of said housing means, and means for connecting said housing means to a housing means of a corresponding connector member having a corresponding thermoplastic wall portion in such a manner as to bring the respective wall portions together into facing contact whereby, upon exposure of the connected housings to radiant energy, the wall portions in facing contact can fuse together and open an aperture through said contacting wall portions, said connector member also carrying auxiliary frangible seal means extending inwardly from said connector member and sealed within said tubular port, said auxiliary frangible seal means defining a pierceable diaphragm, defined in said tubular port, a flexible tubular boot member being attached at one end to said tubular port, said connector member being sealingly carried at the other end of said tubular boot member, and a hollow tubular spike extending inwardly from said connector member and defining a pointed inner end being positioned and adapted to penetrate said diaphragm upon inward movement of said connector member.

2. The container of Claim 1 which is flexible and collapsible.

3. The container of Claim 1 which is a, self-supporting vial, said vial being collapsible upon application of external pressure.

4. The container of Claim 3 in which said vial comprises a generally rigid bottle member defining said mouth portion, and puncturable, resealable stopper means retained in said mouth by ring retention means, said connector member having a conduit member including a tubular cannula which, in turn, defines an inwardlypointed spike adapted to penetrate said puncturable stopper means, and a flexible boot member sealed to the mouth of said vial at one end and sealed to said cannula, to permit manual penetration of said cannula through the stopper means.

5. The container in accordance with Claims 1 or 2 which is a collapsible, sealed bag in which the housing means of said connector member is positioned in facing contact with the housing means of a second connector member, said second connector member being carried in sealing manner at the end of a second tubular port which, in turn, sealingly communicates with a vial which comprises a selfsupporting body defining a mouth portion and a closure sealingly occluding said mouth portion through which said second conduit member is adapted to communicate.

6. The sealed bag of Claim 5 in which said second connector member is carried in said tubular port by a conduit member occluded at its inner end by auxiliary frangible seal means which are openable from the outside to open flow through said second conduit member between the vial and the second connector.

7. The sealed bag of Claims 5 or 6 in which a second conduit member carries the second connector member at one end thereof and further defines, adjacent its other end, a closed end wall, sealed within said closure, and means for rupturing said second conduit member to open said end wall upon manual manipulation thereof from the outside.

8. The sealed bag of Claim 7 in which a projecting member extends outwardly from said closed end wall of the second conduit member, said closure of the mouth portion of the vial being sufficiently resilient to permit manual bending of said projecting member to cause rupture of said end wall to permit the opening of said second conduit member.

9. The sealed bag of Claims 5 through 8 in which the body of said vial defines a plurality of bellowslike convolutions whereby said vial may be manually collapsed by flexing of said convolutions.

10. The sealed bag of Claims 5 through 9 in which the body of said vial is self-supporting of its shape, but sufficiently resilient to be manually collapsible.

11. The sealed bag of Claims 5 through 10 in which said collapsible bag further defines an added sealed port for permitting sterile access to the mixed contents of the vial and collapsible container, the total internal air volume of said vial and collapsible container exceeding the volume of the nongaseous contents in said vial plus the internal volume of the respective conduits connected to said vial and collapsible bag, the air volume of said vial being also in excess of the internal volumes of the respective conduit members.

12. The sealed bag of Claims 5 through 11 in which said thermoplastic wall portions of the connectors are fused together and define said aperture therethrough.

13. The sealed bag of Claims 5 through 12 in which both housing means are transparent, and both of the thermoplastic wall portions are opaque.

14. The sealed bag of Claim 1 to 3 in which the housing means of said connector member is attached to a second connector member with respective thermoplastic wall portions abutting together in facing contact, said second connector communicating through a second tubular port to a second sterile-sealed container, and second auxiliary frangible seal means to permit liquid flow through the first and second tubular ports after the thermoplastic wall portions have fused together to open an aperture therethrough.

15. The sealed bag of Claim 14 in which both said auxiliary frangible seal means comprise inwardly-pointed tubular spike means communicating with said connector members, said first and second tubular ports each carrying pierceable-walled sealing means adapted for penetration of the respective spike means after joining of the connector members.

16. The container of Claim 1 which is a vial which comprises a self-supporting body defining a mouth portion and a closure sealingly occluding said mouth portion through which said tubular port communicates.

17. The vial of Claim 16 which comprises a generally rigid bottle member defining said mouth portion, and puncturable, resealable stopper means retained in said mouth portion by ring retention means, said connector member having a conduit member including a tubular cannula which, in turn, defines an inwardly-pointed spike adapted to penetrate said puncturable stopper means, an a flexible boot member sealed to the mouth of said vial at one end and sealed to said cannula, to permit manual penetration of said cannula through the stopper means.

18. The vial of Claim 16 in which said auxiliary, frangible seal includes a closed end wall on the end of a conduit member carried by the connector within said tubular port and sealed within said closure, and means for rupturing said conduit member to open said end wall upon manual manipulation thereof from the outside.

19. The vial of Claim 18 in which a projecting member extends outwardly from said closed end wall, said closure of the mouth portion of the vial being sufficiently resilient to permit manual bending of said projecting member to cause rupture of said end wall to permit the opening of said second conduit member.

20. The vial of Claims 16 through 19 in which the body of said vial defines a plurality of bellows-like convolutions whereby said vial may be manually collapsed by flexing of said convolutions.

21. The vial of Claims 16 through 19 in which the body of said vial is self-supporting of its shape, but sufficiently resilient to be manually collapsible.

22. The method of combining the sterilized contents of a pair of containers under conditions of sterility which are essentially equivalent to those which would exist had the two materials been sterilized together, which method comprises: connecting a first container containing one of said sterilized materials with a second container containing another of said sterilized materials, each of said containers defining a sealed conduit member, including the steps of making connection between the sealed conduit members of said first and second containers by bringing together a first connector member communicating with the first conduit member with a second connector member communicating with the second conduit member, said connection members comprising housing means, at least one of which is transparent, and a thermoplastic wall portion, at least one of which is opaque, positioned as part of the wall of said housing means, whereby the respective thermoplastic wall portions are brought into abutting relationship together in facing contact; and thereafter exposing said joined connector members to radiant energy to cause the thermoplastic wall portions in facing contact to fuse together and to open an aperture therethrough; and thereafter opening internal auxiliary seals by passing a hollow spike carried by each connector member through an internal diaphragm positioned in each of said first and second conduit members to open a communication path between said first and second containers.

23. The method of Claim 22 in which said first container is a vial comprising a self-supporting body containing a sterilized, critical material and said second container is a flexible, collapsible container enclosing a sterile diluent liquid.

24. The method of Claim 23 in which said critical material is a solid, and, after said aperture opening step, said flexible, collapsible container is elevated above said vial and externally pressurized to force diluent liquid through said first and second connector members into said vial to disperse said solid, critical material.

25. The method of Claims 23 or 24 in which the critical material is a liquid and, thereafter, said vial is inverted vertically over said flexible, collapsible container, and the container is again externally pressurized to force gas in said container to pass through said first and second conduit members upwardly into said vial, and thereafter releasing said external pressurization, whereby liquid in the vial is forced by pressurized air in the vial to flow back into said flexible collapsible container, carrying said critical material with it.

26. The method of Claim 25 in which said essentially all of said critical material is removed from said vial into the flexible, collapsible container, said second connector member being part of a second condμit member which includes a length of tubular thermoplastic material; heat sealing said tubular thermoplastic material into permanently closed sealed configuration; and thereafter cutting through said seal to remove said vial and connector members from the flexible, collapsible container.