Method and apparatus for measuring the aggregation of blood platelets or the coagulation of blood
First Claim
1. A method for measuring the extent of aggregation of blood-platelets in blood or the extent of coagulation of blood comprising the steps of:
- positioning a capillary tube, having first and second ends, adjacent a vessel containing a quantity of blood;
positioning a syringe type arrangement comprising a cylinder and a piston adjacent said capillary tube, said first end of said capillary tube extending into said vessel and being in communication with the blood in the vessel and said second end of said capillary tube communicating with the cylinder of the syringe type arrangement;
operating said piston to draw blood from the vessel into said capillary tube, thereby defining a pressure space between the piston and the blood in the capillary tube;
moving the piston in a desired manner to thereby move the blood in the capillary tube in a desired manner;
measuring the pressure in the pressure space;
controlling the moving of said piston based on the pressure measurements to thereby control the pressure in said pressure space in a predetermined manner; and
measuring the flow rate of the blood in the capillary tube as a measure of the extent of aggregation of blood-platelets in the blood in the capillary tube or the extent of coagulation of the blood in the capillary tube.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus are disclosed for measuring the aggregation of blood platelets or the coagulation of blood, the apparatus including a capillary tube for drawing blood, a piston in communication with the capillary tube and connected to a motor means for linear displacement thereof, a pressure sensor in the space located between the drawn blood and piston, and a computing means or microprocessing means for comparing the sensed pressure from the pressure sensor with a predetermined value, and providing a measured regulating output to the motor means. The method for measuring the aggregation of blood platelets and coagulation of blood includes the steps of drawing blood into the capillary tube of the moveable piston until the desired pressure is achieved within the capillary tube, and allowing the computing means to then maintain by adjustment of the piston position the pressure within the capillary tube. The computing means is able to determine the amount of blood flowing into the capillary tube during constant pressure regulation, and hence the amount of aggregate of blood platelets and blood coagulation due to a known relationship relating movement of the piston to blood drawn into the cylinder.
55 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method for measuring the extent of aggregation of blood-platelets in blood or the extent of coagulation of blood comprising the steps of:
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positioning a capillary tube, having first and second ends, adjacent a vessel containing a quantity of blood; positioning a syringe type arrangement comprising a cylinder and a piston adjacent said capillary tube, said first end of said capillary tube extending into said vessel and being in communication with the blood in the vessel and said second end of said capillary tube communicating with the cylinder of the syringe type arrangement; operating said piston to draw blood from the vessel into said capillary tube, thereby defining a pressure space between the piston and the blood in the capillary tube; moving the piston in a desired manner to thereby move the blood in the capillary tube in a desired manner; measuring the pressure in the pressure space; controlling the moving of said piston based on the pressure measurements to thereby control the pressure in said pressure space in a predetermined manner; and measuring the flow rate of the blood in the capillary tube as a measure of the extent of aggregation of blood-platelets in the blood in the capillary tube or the extent of coagulation of the blood in the capillary tube. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An apparatus for measuring the extent of aggregation of blood-platelets in blood or the extent of coagulation of blood comprising:
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a capillary tube having first and second ends; a cylinder communicating with said first end of the capillary tube; a piston operatively disposed in the cylinder for drawing blood into the capillary tube through the second end thereof; a drive for moving said piston; a pressure sensor disposed between said second end of the capillary tube and the piston for generating pressure signals when blood is contained in the capillary tube to define a pressure space between such blood and the piston, with such pressure signals being indicative of the pressure within such a pressure space; and a computer operatively connected to said pressure sensor and said drive for receiving pressure signals from said pressure sensor, for operating the drive based on received pressure signals from the pressure sensor to control the movement of the piston to thereby control the pressure in a pressure space as defined above in a predetermined manner, and for determining the flow rate of blood in the capillary tube based on movements of the piston. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification