Blood processing systems and methods that employ an in-line, flexible leukofilter

• US 20040156745A1
• Filed: 01/26/2004
• Published: 08/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baxter International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Baxter International Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, Kelly B., Vandlik, Mark R., Kast, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,517,333 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/44
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/00 Suction or pumping devices for medical purposes; Devices for carrying-off, for treatment of, or for carrying-over, body-liquids; Drainage systems catheters A61M25/00; tube connectors, tube couplings, valves or branch units specially adapted for medical use A61M39/00; devices for taking samples of blood A61B5/15; filters implantable into blood vessels A61F2/01
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/0209 Multiple bag systems for separating or storing blood components
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/0218 with filters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/30 Single needle dialysis ; Reciprocating systems, alternately withdrawing blood from and returning it to the patient, e.g. single-lumen-needle dialysis or single needle systems for hemofiltration or pheresis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/302 having a reservoir for withdrawn untreated blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/303 having a reservoir for treated blood to be returned
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/308 Volume control, e.g. with open or flexible containers, by counting the number of pump revolutions, weighing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/362227 the interface providing means for actuating on functional elements of the cassette, e.g. plungers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/36225 with blood pumping means or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/362261 at least one cassette surface or portion thereof being flexible, e.g. the cassette having a rigid base portion with preformed channels and being covered with a foil
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/362265 Details of valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/362266 Means for adding solutions or substances to the blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3633 Blood component filters, e.g. leukocyte filters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3636 having a flexible housing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3693 using separation based on different densities of components, e.g. centrifuging
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3696 with means for adding or withdrawing liquid substances during the centrifugation, e.g. continuous centrifugation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/12 with interchangeable cassettes forming partially or totally the fluid circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/128 with incorporated valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/331 used as turbidity change detectors, e.g. for priming-blood or plasma-hemoglubine-interface detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3393 by weighing the reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/113 : in other functional devices, e.g. dialysers or heart-lung machines
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/43 : using vacuum at the blood pump, e.g. to accelerate filling

Abstract

Systems and methods separate pump the blood cells through an in-line leukofilter to a blood cell storage container. The leukofilter has a filtration medium enclosed within a flexile housing. The systems and methods can employ a fixture to restrain expansion of the flexible filter housing during operation of the pump.

Claims

1. A blood processing system comprising

a blood processing set including a source of blood cells, and a blood component collection flow channel coupled to the source of blood cells including a blood cell storage container and an in-line filter to remove leukocytes from the blood cells before entering the blood cell storage container, the in-line filter including a fibrous filter medium, first and second flexible housings, a unitary, continuous peripheral seal formed by application of pressure and radio-frequency heating in a single process to join the first and second flexible housings to each other, as well as join the fibrous filtration medium to the first and second flexible housings, and

a pump station adapted to be placed into communication with the blood component collection flow channel to pump blood into the blood cell storage container through the in-line filter.

2. A blood processing system according to claim 1

further including a fixture to restrain expansion of the first and second filter housings as a result of pressure applied during operation of the pump station.

3. A blood processing system according to claim 2

wherein the source of blood cells includes a donor flow channel including a blood separation device to separate blood cells from donor whole blood.

4. A blood processing system according to claim 1

wherein the source of blood cells includes a donor flow channel including a blood separation device to separate blood cells from donor whole blood.

5. A system according to claim 1 or 2 or. 3 or 4

wherein the controller includes a function to derive a value reflecting volume of blood cells present in the blood cell storage container after passage through the filter as a percentage of volume of blood cells conveyed to the filter.

6. A system according to claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4

wherein the pump station includes a fluid pressure actuated pump and an actuator to apply fluid pressure to the pump.

7. A system according to claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4

wherein the blood cells comprise red blood cells.

8. A method of processing blood comprising using the blood processing system as defined in claim 1 or 2 or 3 or 4.