Salvage of autologous blood via selective membrane/sorption technologies

Claim 1

A system for salvaging blood from a patient for the selective removal of a targeted solute in the blood and the removal of water, fluids, and low molecular weight solutes comprising: (a) a hemoconcentrator comprising an inlet port, and outlet port, and a porous ultrafiltration membrane having a selected molecular weight cut-off for retaining components selected from the group consisting of cells and solutes with a molecular weight greater than the cut-off and for allowing water, fluids, and solutes with a molecular weight less than the cut-off to be removed from blood or plasma; and (b) a first solute removal device for selectively removing the targeted solute from blood by means of convective and diffusive transport of plasma from said blood across a hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane into a closed plasma chamber where the selective removal of the targeted solute from non-targeted solutes using a sorbent is accomplished followed by the subsequent transport of the non-targeted solutes across the hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane back into the blood, comprising (i) the closed plasma chamber configured for being filled with a plasma chamber solution and to freely circulate, equilibrate, and interact plasma in said plasma chamber solution under relatively uniform pressure; (ii) the hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane, wherein said hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane has an inlet arm and an outlet arm and is configured for being immersed in said plasma chamber solution in said closed plasma chamber; (iii) at least one sorbent having an affinity for binding said targeted solute, wherein said sorbent is contained in said closed plasma chamber; (iv) means for securing said inlet arm and outlet arm of said hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane in said closed plasma chamber; and (v) means for circulating said blood into said inlet arm, through said hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane, and out through said outlet arm; and (c) means for coupling said hemoconcentrator to said first solute removal device to permit liquid communication therebetween and for coupling said hemoconcentrator and said first solute removal device to said patient to permit blood to be received from and returned to said patient.

Claim 2

A system for salvaging blood from a patient for the selective removal of a targeted solute in the blood and the removal of water, fluids, and low molecular weight solutes comprising: (a) a hemoconcentrator comprising an inlet port, and outlet port, and a porous ultrafiltration membrane having a selected molecular weight cut-off for retaining components selected from the group consisting of cells and solutes with a molecular weight greater than the cut-off and for allowing water, fluids, and solutes with a molecular weight less than the cut-off to be removed from blood or plasma; and (b) a first solute removal device for selectively removing the targeted solute from blood by means of convective and diffusive transport of plasma from said blood across a hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane into a closed plasma chamber where the selective removal of the targeted solute from non-targeted solutes using a sorbent is accomplished followed by the subsequent transport of the non-targeted solutes across the hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane back into the blood, comprising (i) the closed plasma chamber configured for being filled with a plasma chamber solution and to freely circulate, equilibrate, and interact plasma in said plasma chamber solution under relatively uniform pressure; (ii) the hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane, wherein said hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane has an inlet arm and an outlet arm and is configured for being immersed in said plasma chamber solution in said closed plasma chamber; (iii) at least one sorbent having an affinity for binding said targeted solute, wherein said sorbent is contained in said closed plasma chamber; (iv) means for securing said inlet arm and outlet arm of said hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane in said closed plasma chamber; and (v) means for circulating said blood into said inlet arm, through said hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane, and out through said outlet arm; and (c) means for coupling said hemoconcentrator to said first solute removal device to permit liquid communication therebetween and for coupling said hemoconcentrator and said first solute removal device to said patient to permit blood to be received from and returned to said patient.

Claim 22

An apparatus for selectively removing a targeted solute from blood by binding said targeted solute to an affinity sorbent and removing water, fluids, and low molecular weight solutes by ultrafiltration, comprising: (a) a closed plasma chamber configured for being filled with a plasma chamber solution and to freely circulate, equilibrate, and interact plasma in said plasma chamber solution under relatively uniform pressure; (b) a hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane having an inlet arm and an outlet arm and configured for being immersed in said plasma chamber solution in said closed plasma chamber; (c) at least one sorbent having an affinity for binding said targeted solute, wherein said sorbent is contained in said closed plasma chamber; (d) means for securing said inlet arm and outlet arm of said hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane in said close plasma chamber; and (e) a porous ultrafiltration membrane disposed in said closed plasma chamber and configured for being immersed in said plasma chamber solution, said ultrafiltration membrane having a selected molecular weight cut-off for allowing water, fluids, and solutes with a molecular weight lower than the cut-off and means for withdrawing said water, fluids, and solutes that pass through said ultrafiltration membrane; and (f) means for circulating said blood into said inlet arm such that plasma, including water, fluids, and low molecular weight solutes therein, is transported from said blood across said hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane by convective and diffusive transport into the plasma chamber solution where the selective removal of the targeted solute from non-targeted solutes using said affinity sorbent is accomplished followed by the subsequent transport of the non-targeted solutes across the hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane back into the blood and out through said outlet arm.

Claim 23

An apparatus for selectively removing a targeted solute from blood by binding said targeted solute to an affinity sorbent and removing water, fluids, and low molecular weight solutes by ultrafiltration, comprising: (a) a closed plasma chamber configured for being filled with a plasma chamber solution and to freely circulate, equilibrate, and interact plasma in said plasma chamber solution under relatively uniform pressure; (b) a hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane having an inlet arm and an outlet arm and configured for being immersed in said plasma chamber solution in said closed plasma chamber; (c) at least one sorbent having an affinity for binding said targeted solute, wherein said sorbent is contained in said closed plasma chamber; (d) means for securing said inlet arm and outlet arm of said hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane in said close plasma chamber; and (e) a porous ultrafiltration membrane disposed in said closed plasma chamber and configured for being immersed in said plasma chamber solution, said ultrafiltration membrane having a selected molecular weight cut-off for allowing water, fluids, and solutes with a molecular weight lower than the cut-off and means for withdrawing said water, fluids, and solutes that pass through said ultrafiltration membrane; and (f) means for circulating said blood into said inlet arm such that plasma, including water, fluids, and low molecular weight solutes therein, is transported from said blood across said hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane by convective and diffusive transport into the plasma chamber solution where the selective removal of the targeted solute from non-targeted solutes using said affinity sorbent is accomplished followed by the subsequent transport of the non-targeted solutes across the hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane back into the blood and out through said outlet arm.

Claim 24

A system for salvaging blood from a patient for the selective removal of a targeted solute in the blood and the removal of water, fluids, and low molecular weight solutes comprising: (a) a hemoconcentrator comprising an inlet port, an outlet port, and a porous ultrafiltration membrane having a selected molecular weight cut-off for retaining components selected from the group consisting of cells and solutes with a molecular weight greater than the cut-off and for allowing water, fluids, and solutes with a molecular weight less than the cut-off to be removed from blood or plasma; and (b) first and second solute removal devices for selectively removing the targeted solute from blood by means of convective and diffusive transport of plasma from said blood across a hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane into a closed plasma chamber where the selective removal of the targeted solute from non-targeted solutes using a sorbent is accomplished followed by the subsequent transport of the non-targeted solutes across the hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane back into the blood, each said first and second solute removal device comprising (i) the closed plasma chamber configured for being filled with a plasma chamber solution and to freely circulate, equilibrate, and interact plasma in said plasma chamber solution under relatively uniform pressure; (ii) the hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane, wherein said hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane has an inlet aim and an outlet arm and is configured for being immersed in said plasma chamber solution in said closed plasma chamber; (iii) at least one sorbent having an affinity for binding said targeted solute, wherein said sorbent is contained in said closed plasma chamber; (iv) means for securing said inlet arm and outlet arm of said hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane in said closed plasma chamber; and (v) means for circulating said blood into said inlet arm, through said hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane, and out through said outlet arm; (c) means for coupling the closed plasma chamber of said first solute removal device to the inlet port of said hemoconcentrator and means for coupling the outlet port of said hemoconcentrator to the closed plasma chamber of said second solute removal device such that plasma can flow from said first solute removal device through said hemoconcentrator to said second solute removal device such that water, fluids, and low molecular weight solutes can be removed from said plasma by ultrafiltration, and means for coupling the outlet arm of said first solute removal device to the inlet arm of said second solute removal device such that blood can flow therebetween; and (d) means for coupling said first and second solute removal devices to said patient to permit blood to be received from and returned to said patient.

Claim 25

A system for salvaging blood from a patient for the selective removal of a targeted solute in the blood and the removal of water, fluids, and low molecular weight solutes comprising: (a) a hemoconcentrator comprising an inlet port, an outlet port, and a porous ultrafiltration membrane having a selected molecular weight cut-off for retaining components selected from the group consisting of cells and solutes with a molecular weight greater than the cut-off and for allowing water, fluids, and solutes with a molecular weight less than the cut-off to be removed from blood or plasma; and (b) first and second solute removal devices for selectively removing the targeted solute from blood by means of convective and diffusive transport of plasma from said blood across a hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane into a closed plasma chamber where the selective removal of the targeted solute from non-targeted solutes using a sorbent is accomplished followed by the subsequent transport of the non-targeted solutes across the hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane back into the blood, each said first and second solute removal device comprising (i) the closed plasma chamber configured for being filled with a plasma chamber solution and to freely circulate, equilibrate, and interact plasma in said plasma chamber solution under relatively uniform pressure; (ii) the hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane, wherein said hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane has an inlet aim and an outlet arm and is configured for being immersed in said plasma chamber solution in said closed plasma chamber; (iii) at least one sorbent having an affinity for binding said targeted solute, wherein said sorbent is contained in said closed plasma chamber; (iv) means for securing said inlet arm and outlet arm of said hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane in said closed plasma chamber; and (v) means for circulating said blood into said inlet arm, through said hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane, and out through said outlet arm; (c) means for coupling the closed plasma chamber of said first solute removal device to the inlet port of said hemoconcentrator and means for coupling the outlet port of said hemoconcentrator to the closed plasma chamber of said second solute removal device such that plasma can flow from said first solute removal device through said hemoconcentrator to said second solute removal device such that water, fluids, and low molecular weight solutes can be removed from said plasma by ultrafiltration, and means for coupling the outlet arm of said first solute removal device to the inlet arm of said second solute removal device such that blood can flow therebetween; and (d) means for coupling said first and second solute removal devices to said patient to permit blood to be received from and returned to said patient.

Claim 26

A method of selectively removing a targeted solute and water, fluids, and low molecular weight solutes from blood comprising: (a) providing a system comprising: (1) a hemoconcentrator comprising an inlet port, an outlet port, and a porous ultrafiltration membrane having a selected molecular weight cut-off for retaining components selected from the group consisting of cells and solutes with a molecular weight greater than the cut-off and for allowing water, fluids, and solutes with a molecular weight less than the cut-off to be removed from blood or plasma; and (2) a first solute removal device for selectively removing the targeted solute from blood by means of convective and diffusive transport of plasma from said blood across a hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane into a closed plasma chamber where the selective removal of the targeted solute from non-targeted solutes using a sorbent is accomplished followed by the subsequent transport of the non-targeted solutes across the hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane back into the blood, comprising (i) the closed plasma chamber configured for being filled with a plasma chamber solution and to freely circulate, equilibrate, and interact plasma in said plasma chamber solution under relatively uniform pressure; (ii) the hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane, wherein said hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane has an inlet arm and an outlet arm and is configured for being immersed in said plasma chamber solution in said closed plasma chamber; (iii) at least one sorbent having an affinity for binding said targeted solute, wherein said sorbent is contained in said closed plasma chamber; (iv) means for securing said inlet arm and outlet arm of said hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane in said closed plasma chamber; and (v) means for circulating said blood into said inlet arm, through said hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane, and out through said outlet arm; and (3) means for coupling said hemoconcentrator to said first solute removal device to permit liquid communication therebetween and for coupling said hemoconcentrator and said first solute removal device to a blood source to permit blood to be received from and returned to said blood source; (b) directing said blood from said blood source into said inlet arm by said means for circulating said blood, through said hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane and out said outlet arm at a volume and a velocity that permits convective and convective and diffusive transport of plasma from said blood across said hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane along the inlet arm of said hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane into said plasma chamber solution; (c) causing said plasma in said plasma chamber solution to come into contact with said sorbent such that said targeted solute is selectively bound to said sorbent; (d) causing said non-targeted solutes to pass by diffusive and convective transport from said plasma chamber solution across the hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane into the blood retained by said hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane and out of said first solute removal device; (e) causing said blood or plasma to pass through said hemoconcentrator such that water, fluids, and solutes with a molecular weight less than said cut-off pass through said porous ultrafiltration membrane and are withdrawn from said blood or plasma, and said ultrafiltration retains cells and solutes with a molecular weight greater than said cut-off in said blood or plasma.

Claim 27

A method of selectively removing a targeted solute and water, fluids, and low molecular weight solutes from blood comprising: (a) providing a system comprising: (1) a hemoconcentrator comprising an inlet port, an outlet port, and a porous ultrafiltration membrane having a selected molecular weight cut-off for retaining components selected from the group consisting of cells and solutes with a molecular weight greater than the cut-off and for allowing water, fluids, and solutes with a molecular weight less than the cut-off to be removed from blood or plasma; and (2) a first solute removal device for selectively removing the targeted solute from blood by means of convective and diffusive transport of plasma from said blood across a hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane into a closed plasma chamber where the selective removal of the targeted solute from non-targeted solutes using a sorbent is accomplished followed by the subsequent transport of the non-targeted solutes across the hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane back into the blood, comprising (i) the closed plasma chamber configured for being filled with a plasma chamber solution and to freely circulate, equilibrate, and interact plasma in said plasma chamber solution under relatively uniform pressure; (ii) the hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane, wherein said hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane has an inlet arm and an outlet arm and is configured for being immersed in said plasma chamber solution in said closed plasma chamber; (iii) at least one sorbent having an affinity for binding said targeted solute, wherein said sorbent is contained in said closed plasma chamber; (iv) means for securing said inlet arm and outlet arm of said hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane in said closed plasma chamber; and (v) means for circulating said blood into said inlet arm, through said hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane, and out through said outlet arm; and (3) means for coupling said hemoconcentrator to said first solute removal device to permit liquid communication therebetween and for coupling said hemoconcentrator and said first solute removal device to a blood source to permit blood to be received from and returned to said blood source; (b) directing said blood from said blood source into said inlet arm by said means for circulating said blood, through said hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane and out said outlet arm at a volume and a velocity that permits convective and convective and diffusive transport of plasma from said blood across said hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane along the inlet arm of said hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane into said plasma chamber solution; (c) causing said plasma in said plasma chamber solution to come into contact with said sorbent such that said targeted solute is selectively bound to said sorbent; (d) causing said non-targeted solutes to pass by diffusive and convective transport from said plasma chamber solution across the hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane into the blood retained by said hollow fiber plasma-separating membrane and out of said first solute removal device; (e) causing said blood or plasma to pass through said hemoconcentrator such that water, fluids, and solutes with a molecular weight less than said cut-off pass through said porous ultrafiltration membrane and are withdrawn from said blood or plasma, and said ultrafiltration retains cells and solutes with a molecular weight greater than said cut-off in said blood or plasma.