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Publication Number
US-9283316-B2
Publication Date
2016-03-15
Expiration Date
Abstract
Methods and devices are described for reducing anticoagulant dilution of collected blood components during blood collection.
Core Innovation
The disclosed invention relates to a method of reducing anticoagulant dilution of collected blood components in blood processing equipment that includes an anticoagulant reservoir, a Y-connector and venous access device, a line of anticoagulant, a blood withdraw/return line, an anticoagulant pump, liquid/air detectors, a withdraw/return pump, a pressure sensor, and a blood component separation device. The system performs priming and aligning of the blood processing equipment with the anticoagulant solution while using liquid/air detection to identify fluid boundaries in the anticoagulant line and withdraw/return line.
During priming, the method synchronously pumps with the anticoagulant pump and the withdraw/return pump to advance anticoagulant solution from the anticoagulant reservoir until anticoagulant is detected by the air/fluid sensor. The method then synchronously reverse pumps to clear the anticoagulant line until an air/anticoagulant interface boundary is present at a defined priming anticoagulant alignment point. This synchronization is used to prevent excess anticoagulant remaining in the withdraw/return line, thereby addressing anticoagulant dilution of collected blood components.
After priming and aligning, the method connects the venous-access device to a donor, withdraws whole blood, separates the withdrawn whole blood into a first blood component and a second blood component, extracts the first blood component, and returns the second blood component to the donor through the draw/return line. The description further provides verification using pump revolution and pressure-change comparisons with expected pump/tubing behavior, and it includes annunciation or stopping reverse pumping when expectations are not met, including embodiments with a dedicated liquid/air detector positioned at the priming anticoagulant alignment point.
Claims Coverage
Only one independent claim is provided, clm-00001. The claim covers a synchronized priming and reverse-clearing procedure using liquid/air detection to establish an air/anticoagulant interface at a priming anticoagulant alignment point, followed by standard blood withdrawal, separation into first and second components, extraction of the first component, and return of the second component.
Synchronously pumping and reverse pumping to establish a priming anticoagulant alignment point
The method comprises synchronously pumping with an anticoagulant pump and a withdraw/return pump to advance anticoagulant solution until the anticoagulant is detected by a liquid/air detector, and synchronously reverse pumping to clear the line of anticoagulant until an air/anticoagulant interface boundary is present in a priming anticoagulant alignment point.
Using liquid/air detectors and pressure sensing on the withdraw/return line
The blood processing equipment includes a liquid/air detector connected to the line of anticoagulant and at least one liquid/air detector connected to the blood withdraw/return line, together with a pressure sensor connected to the blood withdraw/return line.
Separating withdrawn whole blood and returning a second component to the donor
After connecting the venous-access device to a donor and withdrawing whole blood, the method separates the withdrawn whole blood into a first blood component and a second blood component in the blood component separation device, extracts the first blood component, and returns the second blood component to the donor through the draw/return line.
The independent claim centers on synchronizing anticoagulant and withdraw/return pumps during priming and reverse pumping, guided by liquid/air detection to place an air/anticoagulant interface at a defined priming anticoagulant alignment point, and then performing withdrawal, separation, extraction of a first component, and return of a second component using the specified blood-processing equipment.
Stated Advantages
Reducing anticoagulant dilution of collected blood components by clearing excess anticoagulant from the withdraw/return line (described as reducing lost plasma volume and plasma concentration reduction, reported up to ~1.7% for certain donor weight ranges).
Documented Applications
Processing collected whole blood in a blood processing equipment system that withdraws whole blood from a donor, separates it into components, extracts a first component, and returns a second component to the donor.
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