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Publication Number
US-12233192-B2
Publication Date
2025-02-25
Expiration Date
Abstract
A cell washing apparatus is provided to wash a cell-containing fluid. The apparatus is arranged to exchange one or more exchangeable entities from a cell-containing first fluid, and comprises, a first fluid conduit and a second fluid conduit, the second fluid conduit separated from the first fluid conduit by a semi-permeable membrane disposed therebetween; the first fluid conduit having a first fluid inlet and a first fluid outlet, the first fluid conduit arranged to transport the first fluid in a first direction between the first fluid inlet and the first fluid outlet; the second fluid conduit being arranged to house a second fluid; wherein the semi-permeable membrane comprises a plurality of pores arranged to permit transport of said one or more exchangeable entities from the first fluid to the second fluid; wherein the one or more exchangeable entities comprise free haemoglobin and/or blood plasma; and wherein the first fluid is whole blood isolated from a human body, or packed red blood cells. The cell washing apparatus of the present invention aims to solve the problem of harmful species that accumulate in a cell-containing fluid (such as, for example, transfusion blood) during storage and other applications, in which it is desired to transfer red blood cells to a clean suspending liquid.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a membrane-based cell washing apparatus arranged to exchange one or more exchangeable entities in a cell-containing first fluid. The apparatus includes a first fluid conduit and a second fluid conduit separated by a semi-permeable membrane disposed therebetween, and the second fluid conduit houses a fixed volume of a stationary second fluid while the first fluid conduit transports the first fluid in a first direction between a first fluid inlet and a first fluid outlet.
The semi-permeable membrane comprises a plurality of pores arranged to permit transport of the one or more exchangeable entities from the first fluid to the second fluid while retaining cells. The one or more exchangeable entities comprise one or both of free hemoglobin and blood plasma, or at least one of free hemoglobin, free heme, free iron, blood plasma, potassium ions, or lactic acid.
The disclosure relates the apparatus to conditioning stored transfusion blood or stored packed red blood cells by inserting the transfusion blood or packed red blood cells through the first fluid inlet and subsequently passing the inserted transfusion blood or packed red blood cells through the first fluid conduit while simultaneously providing the stationary second fluid. The retrieved transfusion blood or packed red blood cells comprise a lower concentration of free hemoglobin and other contaminants than present in the inserted transfusion blood or packed red blood cells.
Claims Coverage
The partial content provides four independent claims covering a red blood cell washing apparatus, a broader cell washing apparatus with specified exchangeable entities, and two method claims for conditioning stored transfusion blood and generally washing cells. Across the independent claims, the core inventive structure uses two conduits separated by a semi-permeable membrane with pores, together with a stationary second fluid, and specified exchangeable entities.
Pore-separated first and stationary second fluid conduits for exchange
A first fluid conduit and a second fluid conduit separated from the first fluid conduit by a semi-permeable membrane disposed therebetween, wherein the first fluid conduit transports a cell-containing first fluid in a first direction between a first fluid inlet and a first fluid outlet, and wherein the second fluid conduit houses a fixed volume of a stationary second fluid.
Semi-permeable membrane pores permitting transport of exchangeable entities
The semi-permeable membrane comprises a plurality of pores arranged to permit transport of the one or more exchangeable entities from the first fluid to the second fluid.
Exchangeable entities comprising free hemoglobin and/or blood plasma
The one or more exchangeable entities comprise one or both of free hemoglobin and blood plasma.
Whole blood isolated from a human body or packed red blood cells
The first fluid is whole blood isolated from a human body, or packed red blood cells.
Exchangeable entities including free heme, free iron, potassium ions, or lactic acid
The one or more exchangeable entities comprises at least one of free hemoglobin, free heme, free iron, blood plasma, potassium ions, or lactic acid.
Conditioning stored transfusion blood or stored packed red blood cells using stationary second fluid
Providing a cell washing apparatus having a first fluid conduit and a second fluid conduit separated by a semi-permeable membrane, transporting the transfusion blood or packed red blood cells through the first fluid conduit while simultaneously providing the stationary second fluid, and retrieving the transfusion blood or packed red blood cells from the first fluid outlet, wherein the retrieved transfusion blood or packed red blood cells comprise a lower concentration of free hemoglobin and other contaminants than present in the inserted transfusion blood or packed red blood cells.
Washing cells with stationary second fluid and retrieving with lower exchangeable-entity concentration
Providing a cell washing apparatus having a first fluid conduit and a second fluid conduit separated by a semi-permeable membrane, inserting a cell-containing first fluid through the first fluid inlet and passing the inserted cell-containing first fluid through the first fluid conduit while simultaneously providing the stationary second fluid, and retrieving the cell-containing first fluid from the first fluid outlet, wherein the retrieved cell-containing first fluid comprises a lower concentration of one or more exchangeable entities than present in the inserted cell-containing first fluid.
Across the independent claims, the invention centers on a cell washing apparatus with two conduits separated by a semi-permeable, porous membrane and a stationary second fluid volume, enabling transport of specified exchangeable entities from a cell-containing first fluid. The independent claim set further grounds the system in red blood cell use and defines corresponding conditioning/washing methods with retrieval of a first fluid having a lower concentration of specified contaminants or exchangeable entities.
Stated Advantages
Reduced cell rupture.
Simpler single-step real-time washing.
Controllable outlet composition via flow/pore/port configuration.
Lower concentration of free hemoglobin and other contaminants in retrieved conditioned transfusion blood or packed red blood cells.
Documented Applications
Conditioning stored transfusion blood or stored packed red blood cells.
Washing cells by exchanging specified exchangeable entities from a cell-containing first fluid to a stationary second fluid.
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