Kuraray Co., Ltd.

Kawasumi Laboratories. Inc.

Yoshimichi Harada

Yasuzo Kirita

Akiyoshi Nakano

Shiro Nagata

Tadashi Miyahara

Yoshio Yagiri

Makoto Mukai

Takashi Sato

Takuichiro Watanabe

Yasunori Ueda

Michiko Ueda

Separation apparatus capable of separating plasma into high molecular weight substances and low molecular weight substances containing albumin, regardless of whether plasma is obtained by separation of corpuscular components in a continuous centrifugal separator or in a batch-type centrifugal separator. The apparatus comprises a filtration membrane module, a plasma feeding circuit connecting the centrifugal separator with the filtration membrane module, a plasma return circuit for returning to a patient purified plasma freed of high molecular weight substances, a supplemental fluid circuit for supplying additional fluid to the plasma return circuit, and a condensed plasma discharge circuit for disposal of high molecular weight substances. The apparatus is controlled independently of the centrifugal separator.

Method and apparatus for plasma treatment

A blood processing apparatus which comprises a blood circulating circuit including a plasma filter, a plasma circulating circuit for draining at least a portion of the blood plasma and for supplying a physiologically compatible fluid substitute to the subject through a portion of the blood circulating circuit, a blood pump and a drain pump, a priming fluid source adapted to be connected with the blood outlet and a fluid substitute inlet, a first detector for detecting the flow through the blood circulating circuit, a second detector for detecting the flow through the plasma circulating circuit, a first valve for selectively establishing and interrupting a first fluid circuit between a downstream portion of the plasma circulating circuit adjacent the blood outlet and that portion of the blood circulating circuit downstream of the plasma filter, a second valve for selectively establishing and interrupting a second fluid circuit between the downstream portion of the plasma circulating circuit and the outside of the apparatus, a blood pump drive for driving the blood pump to cause the priming fluid to flow through the blood circulating circuit, and a drain pump drive operable in response to an output signal from the first detector for driving the drain pump to cause the priming fluid to flow through the blood circulating circuit when the flow through the blood circulating circuit attains a first predetermined value.

Apparatus for the filtration of plasma from blood

Body cavity fluids, such as ascitic fluid and pleural fluid, are concentrated and filtered to remove bacteria and cancer cells, and the filtered concentrate is returned to the patient intravenously. The concentration and filtration are performed batch-wise, with the concentration being done before the filtration. The apparatus for concentrating and filtering includes a first container for holding the body fluid, a second container for holding the final filtered concentrate, a filter, a concentrator, a pump and two branched tubes connected to the filter and the concentrator which tubes can be selectively closed for concentrating and filtering the body fluid. The fluid outlet of the first container is designed to help prevent precipitated fibrin from passing out of the container and blocking the concentrator or filter membranes.

Apparatus for concentrating and filtering body cavity fluids

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Okayama, Japan

Yoshimichi Harada