Abstract:
A method combining the techniques of immunoaffinity separation and continuous flow centrifugal separation is provided for selective separation of a nucleated heterogeneous cell population from a heterogeneous cell mixture. The heterogeneous cell mixture is intimately contacted to promote binding thereto by particles having attached a substance that actively binds to a specific desired type of cell out of the cell mixture. The particles are selected so that the sedimentation velocity of the particle/cell conjugate differs sufficiently from those of other cells in the cell mixture to allow its separation by means of a continuous flow cell separator. The method rapidly processes large volumes of cell mixture with the high accuracy expected of immunoaffinity separation and can be used to separate, for example, various types of leukocytes from whole blood, bone marrow concentrate, or a peripheral blood stem cell concentrate; or precursors of lymphokine activated killer cells, tumor infiltrating lymphocyte cells, or activated killer monocytes from lymphocyte or monocyte cell concentrates or from a tissue cell preparation.
Abstract:
A blood separation system operates in a first mode to convey whole blood into the inlet region (48) of a blood processing chamber (38) for centrifugal separation into packed red blood cells, a plasma constituent, and an interface, which carries mononuclear cells, between the packed red blood cells and the plasma constituent. The system removes packed red blood cells and the plasma constituent from the chamber (38), while maintaining the interface within the chamber (38). The system operates in a second mode to remove the interface from the chamber (38) by conveying packed red blood cells into the inlet region (48). An outlet path (46) conveys the removed interface from the chamber (38). The outlet path (46) includes a first sensing element (OS) to locate mononuclear cells in the removed interface and provide a sensed output upon locating mononuclear cells.
Abstract:
Medical needle assemblies and needle covers for medical needles are disclosed. The needle covers include a relatively rigid outer surface and more resilient inner surface. The needle covers protect the needle from damage, allow for effective sterilization of the assembly, provide a sterile barrier, and evidence of product tampering.
Abstract:
Methods and apparatus for collecting blood samples in vacuum sample tubes are disclosed. The samples, including the initial blood sample, are substantially free of excess air. Disclosed is also a biological fluid sampling system (18) comprising: a plastic container (42) including an interior chamber (54); a sample access site (68) external to and spaced from said container by y preselected distance; an internal flow path (43) communicating with said access site and extending substantially into said interior chamber, said internal flow path providing the only path for blood flow into and from said chamber.
Abstract:
Systems and methods for manually process blood and blood components in sterile, closed environments, which further condition the blood components for subsequent pathogen inactivation processes. The systems and methods mate the manual collection of random donor platelet units with the creation of larger therapeutic doses of platelets targeted to undergo pathogen inactivation prior to long term storage and/or transfusion.
Abstract:
Systems and methods of collecting blood cells use a first container (16) connected to at least three transfer containers (18, 26, 34). A filtration system (10) is provided with one transfer container (34), which ultimately serves as the storage container for red blood cells free of white blood cells. The two other transfer containers (18, 26) are connected to each other, one (18) of which is empty and one (26) or which contains an additive solution (5) for storage of red blood cells. The empty transfer container (18) is used for storage of platelet concentrate, while the container (26) that originally contained the additive solution is ultimately used to store the platelet-poor plasma component. A portion of the additive solution (5) may be separately passed through the filtration system (10) after filtration of the red cells to flush additional red blood cells from the filtration device (40).
Abstract:
Blood separation systems and methods draw whole blood from a blood donor selected from a population of blood donors. The whole blood of the selected blood donor has a known hematocrit value that varies within the population of blood donors according to morphology of the selected blood donor. The systems and methods operate a pump in the inlet line to convey a volume of whole blood from the donor at a commanded flow rate for processing into plasma constituent and concentrated red blood cells. The systems and methods set the commanded flow rate to vary the volume of whole blood conveyed over time as a function of the known hematocrit value of the selected donor. The systems and methods obtain, after processing the whole blood volume, a targeted volume of concentrated red blood cells, which is substantially constant for the population of blood donors despite variances in known hematocrit values among the donors.
Abstract:
Systems and methods treat plasma carrying contaminants and leukocytes that are capable of entraining contaminants. The systems and methods separate leukocytes from the plasma by filtration, thereby removing contaminants entrained within leukocytes. The systems and methods also add to the plasma a photoactive material and emit radiation at a selected wavelength into the plasma to activate the photoactive material and thereby eradicate the contaminant that is free of entrainment by leukocytes.