Haemonetics Corporation

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Donald W Schoendorfer

Allen Latham, Jr

Lee E Hansen

Jonathan D Schiff

Gordon F Kingsley

Ronald O Gilcher

Richard M Lueptow

Stephen A Raymond

Hollon B Avery

A multipurpose blood processing bag is described for a system in which anticoagulant and whole blood are mixed outside of the prior art anticoagulated whole blood bag in order to minimize collection lesion. In this system, whole blood and anticoagulant from a multipurpose container are mixed at the phlebotomy needle and the anticoagulated whole blood passed to the anticoagulated whole blood bag. The anticoagulated whole blood may then be separated in a pheresis procedure into components such as plasma or platelets and the separated components stored in the (now empty) multipurpose container.

Multipurpose component container and anticoagulant bag

This invention relates to an improvement in two-port centrifuge bowls in which component yield is enhanced by utilizing the centrifuge bowl for eluttriation, as well as centrifugation. In a particular embodiment, platelet yield is improved by terminating flow of anticoagulated whole blood from the donor to the bowl and pumping low density fluid, preferably plasma, back into the bowl at a relatively high rate to elutriate centrifugally separated cells in the bowl.

Pheresis apparatus

A blood donation unit in which a phlebotomy needle is coupled on one conduit to a source of anticoagulant contained in a flexible bag and on another conduit to a flexible collection bag. The anticoagulant bag and collection bag are placed in a chamber within which a vacuum is created, preferably by a hand pump operated by the donor. A rigid plate is disposed between the two bags. The blood flow from the donor is maintained at an adaquate flow level by the donor's pumping which provides a pressure differential between the bags and the needle. The whole blood is mixed with anticoagulant immediately after passing through the phlebotomy needle. The ratio of whole blood to anticoagulant is independent of the volume of whole blood collected and is fixed by the ratio of the surface areas of opposing bag surfaces at the interface with the plate.

Blood donation unit

A pressure plate blood processing centrifuge apparatus is described. A plate is disposed adjacent a flexible bag in which blood is being processed. Under the influence of centrifugal force the plate, which is disposed inwardly nearer the center of rotation than the bag, expels a separated blood component from the bag into a receiver container. The container may be located (1) radially inward or (2) radially outward from the bag or (3) adjacent and equidistant from the center of rotation. In the embodiment in which the container is located radially outward from the bag, a valve is provided which is responsive to the specific density of separated components to stop the flow. In other embodiments, the mass of the plate is selected so as to expel only the desired component. A plurality of alternate embodiments are described which make the apparatus useful for a variety of apparatus, such as plasma pheresis, platelet pheresis and cell-washing.

Fluid processing centrifuge and apparatus thereof

A timing and control mechanism for a centrifuge comprising a piston to which is attached a cam having cam surfaces which interact with flexible tubing to control the rate of flow through the tubing. The velocity of the piston in the centrifugal force field is determined by the resistance to flow of fluid which the piston displaces. The movement of the cam is therefore a measure of the speed and duration of the centrifugal force.

Centrifuge timer clamp

A two plane self-balancing centrifuge is disclosed herein in which the centrifuge rotor is driven by a shaft attached to bearings. The bearings are supported by upper and lower flexible bearing mounts. This results in two horizontally flexible bearing mounting planes to provide a greater degree of freedom for the axis of rotation of the rotor to move into a coincident relationship with the angular momentum vector of the rotor as it changes with dynamic imbalance thereby to compensate for any imbalance which may occur in the centrifuge rotor during processing. The centrifuge particularly suited for use in processing blood.

Two plane self-balancing centrifuge

Apparatus is disclosed for centrifugally separating blood into one or more components, such as a plasma-rich component, and a plasma-poor component. This apparatus employs a centrifuge intended to be used immediately adjacent to a blood donor. A flexible displacement container having a displacer fluid operated diaphragm is positioned within a blood processing chamber of the centrifuge rotor. The blood processing chamber comprises a pair of contoured support shoes which structurally supports the displacement container and a flexible blood processing container. Separated first blood component is expressed from the flexible processing blood container by movement of the diaphragm and is collected in a receiver container as the centrifuge rotor spins. A reservoir for displacer fluid is mounted closer to the axis of rotation of the centrifuge than the flexible displacement container and in fluid communication therewith. The centrifugal force created by the spinning rotor creates a pressure differential between the reservoir and displacement container sufficient to pump the displacer fluid into said pouch, thus moving the diaphragm and expressing blood components from the blood processing bag.

Centrifugal displacer pump

An improved method and apparatus are disclosed for sealing the outlet port of a flexible blood-processing bag after a separated first blood component has been expressed therefrom. The improvements relate to the use of a valve contained within the flexible blood-processing bag and responsive to the difference in specific gravities between first blood component and second blood component. For example, the valve may comprise a stopper ball having a specific gravity which allows it to float at the interface between first and second blood component.

Apparatus and method for separating fluid into components thereof

A blood donation unit in which a reduced outside diameter phlebotomy needle is employed to minimize donor discomfort. The blood flow if, however, maintained at a flow level similar to that obtained with standard gauge phlebotomy needles by a roller pump which provides a predetermined pressure differential between the ends of the phlebotomy needle. The blood is mixed with a predetermined ratio of anticoagulant immediately after passing through the phlebotomy needle. The ratio of whole blood to anticoagulant is independent of the volume of whole blood collected.

Apparatus is disclosed for centrifugally separating blood into a first blood component, such as a plasma-rich component, and a second blood component, such as a plasma-poor component. This apparatus employs a centrifuge intended to be used immediately adjacent to a blood donor. A flexible displacement pouch having a fluid operated diaphragm is positioned within a blood processing chamber of the centrifuge rotor. The blood processing chamber comprises a pair of contoured support shoes which structurally supports the displacement pouch and a flexible blood processing bag. Separated first blood component is expressed from the flexible blood bag by movement of the diaphragm and collected in a receiver container as the centrifuge rotor spins. A pressure plate is mounted against the support shoes. The plate has a mass sufficient to at least counterbalance the force exerted inwardly by the fluid in the blood processing bag during the separation process.

Blood processing centrifuge

An internally worn laryngeal prosthesis for laryngectomized patients is described. The prosthesis is worn internally at the end of a surgically constructed fistula leading to the base of the patient's vocal tract. Exhaled air powers a miniature vibratory mechanism whose output enters the vocal tract directly and supplies both a voiced and a voiceless sound source. A tube connects the other end of the prosthesis to the tracheostoma from which air from the lungs powers the prosthesis. The tube contains a valve which may be manually or automatically controlled to allow either speech or quiet breathing.

Growing community of inventors

Brookline, MA, United States of America

Donald W Schoendorfer