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US-20260124345-A1 - Blood Processing Systems

US20260124345A1US 20260124345 A1US20260124345 A1US 20260124345A1US-20260124345-A1

Abstract

A blood processing system includes a reuseable processing device and a single use fluid flow circuit. The reuseable hardware component includes a pump system, a valve system, and a centrifuge. The reuseable hardware component further includes a controller and holders for collection containers. The disposable fluid flow circuit includes a plurality of collection containers, a processing chamber received by the centrifuge and a plurality of conduits fluidly connecting the components of the fluid flow circuit. The controller is configured to command the pump system and the valve system to cooperate to convey whole blood from a blood source to the processing chamber and execute at least one blood processing procedure. The holders are configured so that the collection containers remain upright during the duration of the at least one blood processing procedure.

Inventors

  • Benjamin E. Kusters
  • Kyungyoon Min

Assignees

  • FENWAL, INC.

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20251029

Claims (11)

  1. 1 . A blood processing system comprising: a reusable processing device including: a pump system; a valve system; a centrifuge; holders for collection containers; a controller; and a disposable fluid flow circuit including: a plurality of collection containers; a processing chamber received by the centrifuge; and a plurality of conduits fluidly connecting the components of the fluid flow circuit, wherein the controller is configured to command the pump system and the valve system to cooperate to convey whole blood from a blood source to the processing chamber and execute at least one blood processing procedure; and wherein the holders are configured so that the collection containers remain upright during the duration of the at least one blood processing procedure.
  2. 2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the device further includes a platform for holding additional containers of the fluid flow circuit.
  3. 3 . The system of any of the preceding claims , wherein the device further includes a base and a top.
  4. 4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the fluid flow circuit is inserted into and on top of the top of the device.
  5. 5 . The system of any of the preceding claims , wherein the holders are cups formed in the base of the device.
  6. 6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the holders include at least two cups.
  7. 7 . The system of any of the preceding claims , further include a projection for holding at least one blood container.
  8. 8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the projection is configured to hold at least one additive container.
  9. 9 . The system of any of the preceding claims , wherein the collection containers include at least one of a red blood cell collection container, a buffy coat collection container, and a plasma collection container.
  10. 10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the holders are hooks.
  11. 11 . A method of separating blood, using the system of any one of claims 1-10 .

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/716,159, filed Nov. 4, 2024, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE This application relates generally to blood and blood component separating, treating and/or processing, and related apparatus, systems and methods associated with such separating and/or processing. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART It is well known to collect whole blood from donors using manual collection procedures through blood drives, donor visits to blood centers or hospitals and the like. In such procedures, blood is typically collected by simply flowing it from the donor under the force of gravity and venous pressure into a collection container (e.g., a flexible pouch or bag). Various blood collection instruments may also be used to aid or expedite the collection of blood or blood components. After initial collection, it is a common practice to transport the collected whole blood to another facility or location, sometimes called a “back lab,” for further processing to form red blood cell (RBC), platelet (PLT) and plasma products from the whole blood, as well as carry out subsequent processes such as cell washing and plasma cryoprecipitate production and collection. This processing usually entails manually loading the primary collection container and associated tubing and satellite containers into a centrifuge to separate the whole blood into concentrated red cells, buffy coat, and platelet-rich or platelet-poor plasma. The separated components may then be expressed from the primary collection container into one or more of the satellite containers and the red cells combined with an additive or preservative solution pre-filled in one of the satellite containers. After the above steps, the blood components may be again centrifuged, if desired, for example to separate platelets from plasma. The overall process requires multiple large floor centrifuges and fluid expression devices. Because of the multiple operator interactions, the process is labor intensive, time consuming and subject to human error. Thus, there have been continuing efforts to automate the apparatus and systems used in the post-collection processing of whole blood, and recently it has been proposed to employ an automated blood component separator for such post-collection processing. The subject matter disclosed herein provides further advances in various aspects of the apparatus, systems, and methods that may be employed in post-collection processing systems (while also being applicable to processing of blood being drawn from a living donor) by offering devices and system configured to maintain an upright position for the product containers with a particularly configured holder. SUMMARY There are several aspects of the present subject matter which may be embodied separately or together in the devices, systems, and methods described and/or claimed below. These aspects may be employed alone or in combination with other aspects of the subject matter described herein, and the description of these aspects together is not intended to preclude the use of these aspects separately or the claiming of such aspects separately or in different combinations as set forth in the claims appended hereto or later amended. For purposes of this description and claims, blood components include concentrated red cells, plasma, platelets and white cells, whether with or without anticoagulant or additives. By way of the present disclosure, a blood processing system is provided comprising a durable hardware component and a single use fluid flow circuit. The reuseable hardware component includes a pump system, a valve system, and a centrifuge. The reuseable hardware component further includes a controller and holders for collection containers. The disposable fluid flow circuit includes a plurality of collection containers, a processing chamber received by the centrifuge and a plurality of conduits fluidly connecting the components of the fluid flow circuit. The controller is configured to command the pump system and the valve system to cooperate to convey whole blood from a blood source to the processing chamber and execute at least one blood processing procedure. The holders are configured so that the collection containers remain upright during the duration of the at least one blood processing procedure. These and other aspects of the present subject matter are set forth in the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary reusable hardware component of a blood processing system which is configured to receive a disposable fluid flow circuit; FIG. 2 is a plan view of an exemplary disposable fluid flow circuit for use in combination with the durable hardware component of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a biological fluid pr