APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ASSAYING COAGULATION IN FLUID SAMPLES
First Claim
1. A method of assaying an enzyme in a sample of blood or blood derivative, comprising the steps of:
- introducing the sample into a cartridge which includes an analysis location,metering a portion of the sample,moving the metered sample to the analysis location,mixing the metered sample with reagent at the analysis location,allowing the enzyme to react with the reagent to form a reaction product in the sample,positioning the sample at a sensor in the analysis location, anddetecting the reaction product of the enzyme reaction using the sensor.
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Abstract
This invention is a disposable cartridge for use at the patient side to perform traditional coagulation assays on fresh whole blood or blood derivative samples. The cartridge, in use with an electronic analyzer allows a fluid sample to be metered and quantitatively mixed with reagents which activate the coagulation cascade. An artificial substrate for thrombin, the enzyme whose action results in clot formation is also provided. Clot formation is subsequently detected using a microfabricated sensor also housed within the cartridge which detects electrochemically the product of the thrombin reaction upon the synthetic substrate.
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Citations
4 Claims
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1. A method of assaying an enzyme in a sample of blood or blood derivative, comprising the steps of:
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introducing the sample into a cartridge which includes an analysis location, metering a portion of the sample, moving the metered sample to the analysis location, mixing the metered sample with reagent at the analysis location, allowing the enzyme to react with the reagent to form a reaction product in the sample, positioning the sample at a sensor in the analysis location, and detecting the reaction product of the enzyme reaction using the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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Specification