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

• US 7,517,333 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2004
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Baxter International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Baxter International Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, Kelly B, Vandlik, Mark R, Kast, Michael J, Westberg, Tom, Vishnoi, Rohit
• Primary Examiner(s): Deak; Leslie R
• Application Number:
  US10/765,498
• Publication Number:
  US 20040156745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,905 Days
• Field of Search: 604/4.01, 604/5.01, 604 601- 603, 604/6.09, 604/6.11, 604/6.15, 422/44, 422/48, 210/600, 210/634, 210/644, 210/645, 210/781, 210/782, 210/203, 210/349, 210/416.1, 210/500.1, 210/503
• US Class Current: 604/6.03
• 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• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/302 having a reservoir for withdrawn untreated blood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 leukocyte removal filter medium and first and second flexible housings,

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, and

a separate restraining structure contacting an outer surface of each of the first and second flexible housings to restrain the outward expansion of said housings under pressure applied during operation of the pump station.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. A system according to claim 1 or 2 or 3 further comprising a controller 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.

5. A system according to claim 1 or 2 or 3 wherein the pump station includes a fluid pressure actuated pump and an actuator to apply fluid pressure to the pump.

6. A system according to claim 1 or 2 or 3 wherein the blood cells comprise red blood cells.

7. A method of processing blood comprising the steps of

providing the blood processing system as defined in claim 1 or 2 or 3,

pumping blood cells through the in-line filter, and

conveying blood cells from said filter into the blood cell storage container.

8. A blood processing system according to claim 1 wherein the leukocyte filter comprises a fibrous filter medium.