Abstract:
A new citrate-based anticoagulant for donor whole blood provides good platelet yield and cell morphology at a significantly reduced risk of donor paresthesia during apheresis procedures. The primary citrate anticoagulant compositions include a citric acid to total citrate ration greater than about 30 %. The anticoagulants are mixed with whole blood to provide an anticoagulated blood mixture which contains a citric acid concentration of greater than about 5.0 mM, a total citrate concentration of less than about 20 mM, and an initial blood pH of less than about 6.75. The platelet rich products including PRP and PC prepared from blood collected in accordance with the invention exhibit better platelet yields and better platelet morphology on storage.
Abstract:
Low doses of stroma-free diaspirin cross-linked hemoglobin are administered to patients undergoing hemodialysis, to achieve hemostabilization and avoid hypotensive episodes in susceptible patients. Hemoglobin therapy when implemented prophylactically in hemodialysis also partially obviates the need for further interventions to control circulatory system instability.
Abstract:
The invention provides a flexible plastic formulation capable of being extruded, blow-molded, ethylene oxide and radiation sterilized. The plastic formulation of the invention comprises: a) from about 60 to about 94 percent by weight of a copolymer consisting essentially of ethylene and vinyl acetate units; b) from about 5 to about 25 percent by weight of a block copolymer, the block copolymer consisting essentially of a central block copolymer molecule including generally equal proportions of ethylene and butylene units, and terminal blocks of polystyrene; and c) from about 1 to about 15 percent by weight of an ultra-low density polyethylene material. The plastic formulations of the invention are useful in the manufacture of blood bags, tubing and the like.
Abstract:
Human antibody preparations enriched for antibodies that bind to human T-cell receptor peptide or conformational determinants are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods for making such antibody preparations from human plasma Cohn fractions by immunoaffinity purification using either recombinant Tcr protein or Tcr variable region peptides. Purification of Tcr antibodies from human or animal antibody mixtures is accomplished by immunoaffinity procedures using recombinant human T-cell receptor proteins. The affinity purified antibodies can bind to intact membrane-bound Tcr using fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) and can inhibit T-cell proliferation following stimulation by mitogen. Affinity purified human polyclonal antibodies can inhibit lytic activity of natural killer cells on a monoclonal T-cell line. The antibody preparations can be used for diagnosis, monitoring and therapy of various autoimmune-related syndromes.
Abstract:
An apparatus (31) and a method are disclosed for performing an operation upon multiple webs (51, 53), including the feeding of multiple webs (51, 53), the provision of a carrier (65) for assisting in moving the webs (51, 53) along a predetermined path (83), the performance of an operation (69) upon the webs, the insertion of a carrier (65) between the webs (51, 53), and the provision of a sealing device (71) for sealing the webs together to form a sealed portion (75) to cooperate with the carrier (65) for assisting in moving the webs (51, 53). The carriers (65) are mounted on a conveyor (83) and each carrier (65) pushes against the sealed portion (75) to pull the webs (51, 53), and the packages (41) formed therefrom in the direction of conveyor travel. The preferred carrier (65) has a shaped head on the end of a flat plastic blade. The shaped head may have an opening (81) therein of a smaller size than the sealer (188) inserted into the opening such that the fused plastic may extrude outwardly to abut the edge (79) of the carrier defining the opening.
Abstract:
The distensible annuloplasty ring which may be enlarged, in situ, by application of dilaroty pressure by way of a balloon or other dilating apparatus. The distensible annuloplasty ring of the invention is usable in pediatric patients whose growth, subsequent to surgical implantation of the ring, will necessitate subsequent enlargement of the ring to accommodate growth of the annulus. The invention includes a transluminal and/or transeptal method for post-implantation enlargement of the annuloplasty ring via catheter.
Abstract:
An implantable device for the prevention or treatment of cancer comprising an implantable chamber containing tumor cells, or somatic cells engineered to express at least one antigen corresponding to antigen of a patient's tumor; the chamber having a porous wall to provide, in use, a porous boundary between the patient's immune cells and the contained cells; the porosity of the boundary being sufficient to permit subcellular antigenic material to pass through the boundary, while preventing the contained cells and patient immune cells from passing through the boundary.
Abstract:
A medical infusion pump (10) including an improved electric motor assembly (256). The medical infusion pump (10) includes a pumping mechanism (250) and a pump chamber (132) in an operative position with respect to the pumping mechanism (250), the pumping mechanism (250), manipulating the pump chamber (132) to pump liquid through the pump chamber. An electric motor (256) having a rotatable drive shaft (316) is operably linked to the pump driving mechanism (250), and the pump driving mechanism (250) pumps a select amount of liquid through the pump chamber (132) on each rotation of the electric motor drive shaft (316). The improved electric motor assembly (256) includes a motor having a portion of a drive shaft (388) extending therefrom. A magnet (392) is attached to the extending portion of the drive shaft for rotation with the drive shaft. A flux gatherer (396) is spaced from and magnetically coupled to the magnet (392) for biasing the poles of the magnet in a select orientation relative to the flux gatherer (396) so as to stop the pump driving mechanism (250) in a select position. A magnetic position detector (400) is spaced from and magnetically coupled to the magnet (392) for emitting an electrical signal each rotation of the drive shaft (388).
Abstract:
A pump system (110) is described which is particularly suited for use as a left ventricular assist device for internal use in humans. The pump system (110) generally includes a pump (100) having a deformable sac (111) formed in a seamless piece of flexible resilient material having: (i) a pair of opposite substantially planar walls (113, 114) and of substantially circular shape joined by an annular wall (112) of substantially semicircular cross section and (ii) inlet and outlet means (121, 123). The inlet means (121) have an asymmetric tapered section (125) positioned to direct the inlet flow toward the annular wall (112) of the sac (111) to produce a smooth circular flow within the sac (111) and minimize thrombus formation. A pair of pusher plates (134, 136) are disposed on opposite sides of the sac (111). Each of the pusher plates (134, 136) are engageable with a respective one of the planar walls (113, 114) of the sac (111) for displacing at least one of the planar walls toward the other to deform the sac. The pump system (110) also includes removable inlet and outlet conduit means (160, 161) with valve means (150, 151) for controlling inlet and outlet flow. Each of the conduit means (160, 161) include connecting means having sealing means (181, 182) for securing the inlet and outlet conduit means (160, 161) to the pump (100).