Haemonetics Corporation

Transfusion Technologies Corporation

Edward T Powers

Thomas D Headley

Michael Ragusa

Matthew J Murphy

Etienne Pagès

Dominique Uhlmann

Wesley H Verkaart

Gary R Stacey

James P Cianci

Etienne Pages

Dominique Uhlman

A continuous flow centrifuge bowl includes a rotatable outer body, and a top and bottom core that are rotatable with the outer body. The bottom core has a wall extending proximally from a bottom wall. The proximally extending wall is radially outward from at least a portion of the top core and, together with the top core, defines a primary separation region in which initial separation of the whole blood occurs. The bowl may also have a secondary separation region located between the top core and the outer body, and a rotary seal that couples an inlet port and two outlet ports to the outer body. The inlet port may be connected to an inlet tube that extends distally into a whole blood introduction region. Additionally, one of the outlet ports may be connected to an extraction tube that extends into a region below the bottom core.

Continuous flow separation chamber

Continuous flow separation chamber with optical sensor

Continuous flow separation chamber with weir disk

A fluid cassette for a blood processing system includes a cassette housing and a rigid structure. The cassette housing defines the structure of the cassette and has a fluid path at least partially extending through it. The fluid path is configured to allow a fluid to pass through the housing. The rigid structure defines a cavity that is in fluid communication with the fluid path. The rigid structure also has an interface for interfacing and/or connecting with a pressure monitoring device. The interface allows the pressure monitoring device to measure the pressure within the fluid path. The cavity has a volume of air located between the fluid path and the interface.

Pressure monitoring within a fluid cassette

A rotor for collecting and centrifuging biological fluids in a range of volumes. The rotor includes an elastic impermeable diaphragm which defines at least a portion of a variable-volume processing chamber, where the fluid is centrifuged. The rotor includes a rigid mounting member, to which the diaphragm is mounted and which is held and spun by a chuck. Preferably, this rigid mounting member includes a boundary wall which together with the elastic diaphragm defines the chamber. The boundary wall may be a substantially imperforate circular wall which extends to the periphery of the processing chamber but defining one opening, preferably near the axis of rotation, permitting a conduit or conduits to pass therethrough so as to be in fluid communication with the processing chamber. The rotor may include a separate structure for controlling the flow of liquid out of the chamber into the conduit. In a preferred embodiment, this outlet-control structure is a perforate, substantially rigid wall or plate, located within the processing chamber and mounted adjacent the rigid boundary wall. In an alternative embodiment, the outlet-control structure for controlling flow from the processing chamber to the conduit may include at least one tube or preferably a set of tubes, wherein each tube provides fluid communication between the chamber and the conduit. In one preferred embodiment, grooves in the boundary wall may be used as the outlet-control structure.

Rotor with elastic diaphragm for liquid-separation system

A system for filtering and processing blood that is simple to implement and that reduces the need for human intervention. The system may be used to collect red blood cells (RBCs). For such a system, a disposable set may be provided with an inlet port, an RBC container, a centrifuge rotor having a variable total volume, and a filter, along with tubing connecting the port, the container, the rotor and the filter. The filter is located in tubing between the inlet port and the rotor. A control unit is also provided and includes a spinner in which the rotor may be held, a flow-control arrangement for controlling flow among the various components of the disposable set, and an electronic controller. The whole blood is directed by the flow-control arrangement from the inlet through the filter to the rotor. The rotor includes an elastic diaphragm, and the control unit's flow-control arrangement includes a pump or other device for applying a positive and negative pressure to the rotor's elastic diaphragm. The spinner rotates the rotor so as to separate the whole blood into plasma and RBCs. Preferably, the plasma is urged out of the rotor first and returned to the donor, while the rotor is still being spun. After the plasma has been removed from the rotor, the RBCs are urged from the rotor to an RBC container. In preferred embodiments, the filter is a white blood cell filter, so that white blood cells are filtered from the blood before it reaches the rotor.

System and method for processing blood

A system for collecting red blood cells (RBCs) and other blood components that reduces the need for human intervention. A disposable set is provided having a port, an RBC container, a centrifuge rotor having a variable total volume, and a filter, along with tubing connecting the port, the container, the rotor and the filter. A control unit is also provided and includes a spinner in which the rotor may be held, a flow-control arrangement for controlling flow among the various components of the disposable set, and an electronic controller. The whole blood is directed by the flow-control arrangement from the port through the tubing to the rotor. The rotor includes an elastic diaphragm, and the control unit's flow-control arrangement includes a pump or other device for applying a positive and negative pressure to the rotor's elastic diaphragm. The spinner rotates the rotor so as to separate the whole blood into plasma and RBCs. Preferably, the plasma, is urged out of the rotor first, while the rotor is still being spun. After the plasma has been removed from the rotor, the RBCs are urged from the rotor through the filter, so that white blood cells (WBCs) are caught in the filter and RBCs pass through the filter to an RBC container.

System and method for separating blood components

Rotor with elastic diaphragm defining a liquid separating chamber of varying volume

A system for separating a fluid having heavier and lighter components. The system includes a rotor having a rigid mounting member and an elastic diaphragm attached to the mounting member, the diaphragm defining a chamber. The system also includes a chuck for holding the rigid mounting member of the rotor and for spinning the rotor around an axis. The pressure of a control fluid, preferably a control gas, disposed adjacent the rotor's diaphragm is varied in order to control the volume of the rotor. Pressurizing the control gas causes fluid to flow out of the rotor; applying a vacuum to the diaphragm draws fluid into the rotor.

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Hampton Falls, NH, United States of America

Edward T Powers