Containers and methods protect surgically-removed tissue such as cranial bone flaps for limited times during surgery. In some cases, tissue protected in such a container can be returned to the patient, lessening the need for synthetic, allographic, or xenographic alternatives. A container may include a frame defining a plurality of retention compartments, each retention compartment having an orientation and comprising sidewalls supported by the frame, wherein the sidewalls define a rim for each retention compartment in the plurality of retention compartments, wherein the orientation of a first retention compartment in the plurality of retention compartments differs from the orientation of a second retention compartment in the plurality of retention compartments.