SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND DEVICES FOR BLOOD TREATMENT

• US 20110021966A1
• Filed: 12/12/2008
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York (Columbia University)
• Original Assignee: Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York (Columbia University)
• Inventors: Leonard, Edward F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,556,844 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/6.01
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3623 Means for actively controlling temperature of blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3681 by irradiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3683 using photoactive agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/053 ultraviolet
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2206/11 Laminar flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/00 Other apparatus for introducing media into the body for reproduction or fertilisation A61B17/425; apparatus for iontophoresis or cataphoresis A61N1/30; Percutany, i.e. introducing medicines into the body by diffusion through the skin salt baths A61H33/04

Abstract

A blood treatment device provides a photopheresis treatment using a microfluidic separation channel to separate blood components into layers The layering caused by laminar flow in the microfluidic separation channel allows light to be projected through plasma onto leukocytes without hindrance by erythrocytes

Claims

1. A blood treatment device, comprising:

a separation channel configured to connect to a living animal and to permit the passage of blood therethrough at a flow rate that causes the blood to arrange approximately in layers with a first, plasma-rich layer on one side, a second, erythrocyte-rich layer opposite the first layer and third, leukocyte-rich layer between the first and second layers;

connectors on blood lines connecting the separation channel and configured for connection to a patient access; and

a therapeutic light source positioned so as to illuminate the third layer in the separation channel by transmitting light through the first layer.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the separation channel has at least one transparent wall through which light from the light source is transmitted.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the light source is configured to generate light with a substantial component in the wavelength range of 200-400 nm.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the separation channel has minimum internal dimension of less than 200 μ

m.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the separation channel is rectilinear with a cross-section whose aspect ratio is greater than 10.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the separation channel includes multiple rectilinear channels each having a cross-section whose aspect ratio is greater than 50.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising a pump configured to flow blood through the separation channel at a rate of 30 ml/min.

8. A blood treatment device, comprising:

a housing enclosing a flat laminar separation channel with inlet and outlet ports connected to patient connection lines;

a blood pump in the housing configured to pump blood through the separation channel at a rate that causes blood to arrange approximately in layers with a first, plasma-rich layer on one side, a second, erythrocyte-rich layer opposite the first layer and third, leukocyte-rich layer between the first and second layers;

the housing enclosing a therapeutic light source positioned to illuminate leukocytes present in the third layer.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein light source is positioned to illuminate the separation channel and transmit light through the first layer to the third layer.

10. The device of claim 8, further comprising a leukocyte receiving channel connected between the separation channel and one of the patient connection lines to receive at least a fraction of the leukocyte-rich layer and return the fraction to at least one of the patient connection lines such that the fraction can be returned to a patient.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the separation channel has at least one transparent wall through which light from the light source is transmitted.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the light source is configured generate light with a substantial component in the wavelength range of 200-400 nm.

13. The device of claim 8, wherein the separation channel has minimum internal dimension of less than 200 μ

m.

14. The device of claim 8, wherein the separation channel is rectilinear with a cross-section whose aspect ratio is greater than 10.

15. The device of claim 8, wherein the separation channel includes multiple rectilinear channels each having a cross-section whose aspect ratio is greater than 50.

16. The device of claim 8, wherein the blood pump is configured to flow blood through the separation channel at a rate of 30 ml/min.

17. A method of performing photopheresis, comprising:

increasing the concentration of leukocytes in blood of a living animal by creating a flow of the blood that generates a shear profile that causes leukocytes to be concentrated in a fraction of the flow;

illuminating the leukocytes in the fraction of the flow and returning the illuminated leukocytes to the living animal.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the flow is laminar and has a minimum cross-stream dimension of less than 200 μ

m.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the illuminating includes generating light having a significant portion of its energy in the 200-400 nm wavelength range.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the illuminating includes shining light on transparent walls of a channel containing the flow.