Importance

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Abstract

A system compact enough to be located entirely beside the donor's chair, and able to process the blood while the donor is still resting in the chair after having donated the blood. The separated blood components (plasma and red blood cells) may be stored in their individual optimum environments immediately after the whole blood is drawn, and the blood does not need to be transported back to a separation laboratory for processing. The system includes a needle (72) (or other cannula-like device) for insertion into a vein of the donor and drawing whole blood therethrough, a rotor (2a) for holding the blood after it is drawn, and a motor (50) for spinning the rotor so as to cause the blood to separate into components, for example, plasma and red blood cells. The system also provides for a container for collecting a separated component. In a preferred embodiment two containers are used: the first container (92) for containing an anticoagulant, which is preferably added to the whole blood as it is drawn from the donor, and then for storing the plasma after it has been separated from the red blood cells, and the second container (91) for storing the separated red blood cells. The system further includes tubing (73), which may have valving (81) built into it and which may be acted on externally, so as to direct the blood components in the desired manner. The tubing connects the needle (72), the rotor (2a), and the first and second containers (92, 91). With the valving, the tubing is able to permit (i) the flow of whole blood from the needle (72) to the rotor (2a), (ii) the flow of anticoagulant from the first container (92) to the whole blood flowing from the needle to the rotor, (iii) the flow of plasma from the rotor to the first container, and (iv) the flow of red blood cells from the rotor to the second container (91).

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First Claim