Bag for collecting, storing and administering including filtering blood, blood components, intravenous fluids and similar fluids

Claim 1

A bag for collecting, storing and filtering blood, intravenous and similar fluids, said bag being sealed about is periphery and comprising an upper, center and lower portions, said upper portion being an air-tight fluid storage section including means for filling said upper portion with the desired fluid, a portion of the periphery of said upper portion being contiguous with said center portion, said center portion comprising at least one opening extending between said upper portion and the lower portion of the bag, said opening being temporarily sealed to prevent the flow of fluid from the upper portion to the lower portion, means on the outside of the bag for breaking said temporary seal to allow flow of fluid to said opening and into the lower portion, said lower portion being contiguous to the center portion on the side opposite said upper portion, a substantially flat piece of filter media mounted in said lower portion, said filter media extending substantially the entire width of said lower portion and being disposed at an angle of less than 45 degrees to the primary plane of the bag, whereby fluids may be rapidly filtered with a minimum of blocking of the filter media, and said lower portion of said bag having an outlet for administering the fluid to a patient, said outlet being disposed on the side of the filter media opposite the opening in the center portion whereby the fluid administered from said bag may be filtered immediately prior to administration.