The present invention provides a portable kit for blood collection. The kit contains the essential components for drawing blood from a person using a needle and blood collection tube. These components preferably include multiple blood collection tubes, needles, needle holders, gauze pads, bandages, and alcohol-prep pads. The kit containing the components is lightweight, compact, and easily stackable. The kit is portable so a phlebotomist, nurse, or other health care practitioner can easily carry the kit.

The disclosed apparatus, systems and methods relate to devices, systems and methods for the collection of bodily fluids. The collector can make use of microfluidic networks connected to collection sites on the skin of a subject to gather and shuttle blood into a removable cartridge. The collected fluid is supplied to substrate for drying, storage and transport.

In a method embodiment, an example method for simultaneously filling balloons with water, using an apparatus sufficiently compact to be operated while being held by hand, is disclosed. The method includes attaching the apparatus to a water supply. The apparatus includes a fitting comprising an inlet configured to connect to the water supply and a bulkhead joining the at least three branch assemblies. Each branch assembly includes a tube and an automatically-sealing balloon with a neck disposed around and removably attached to the tube. The method further includes simultaneously providing water from the attached water supply to each balloon of the balloon-filling apparatus. The method further includes detaching one or more of the balloons from the balloon-filling apparatus using a force comprising gravity each detached balloon and the water contained therein. Each detached balloon automatically seals upon detachment.

An apparatus and method for collecting a predetermined amount of blood or other fluid using an automated sampling system is provided.

An example embodiment of an apparatus includes a housing with an opening at a first end and a plurality of holes at a second end, a plurality of hollow tubes attached to the plurality of holes, a plurality of containers removably attached to the hollow tubes, and a plurality of elastic fasteners, each elastic fastener clamping each container to a corresponding hollow tube, such that when the containers are filled with fluid and detached from the corresponding hollow tubes, each elastic fastener seals each container with the fluid inside.

A specimen transfer device adapted to receive a blood sample is disclosed. The specimen transfer device includes a housing and an actuation member. A deformable material is disposed within the housing and is deformable from an initial position in which the material is adapted to hold the sample to a deformed position in which at least a portion of the sample is released from the material. A viscoelastic member is disposed within the housing between the material and the housing and between the material and the actuation member. The viscoelastic member is engaged with the actuation member and the material such that movement of the actuation member from a first position to a second position deforms the material from the initial position to the deformed position.

In a method embodiment, an example method for simultaneously filling balloons with water, using an apparatus sufficiently compact to be operated while being held by hand, is disclosed. The method includes attaching the apparatus to a water supply. The apparatus includes a fitting comprising an inlet configured to connect to the water supply and a bulkhead joining the at least three branch assemblies. Each branch assembly includes a tube and an automatically-sealing balloon with a neck disposed around and removably attached to the tube. The method further includes simultaneously providing water from the attached water supply to each balloon of the balloon-filling apparatus. The method further includes detaching one or more of the balloons from the balloon-filling apparatus using a force comprising gravity each detached balloon and the water contained therein. Each detached balloon automatically seals upon detachment.

Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to drainage bag systems configured to facilitate disposal of a fluid therein and methods of using the drainage bag systems. For example, the drainage bag systems may include a drainage container configured to receive and hold a fluid from a patient. The drainage container may be fluidly coupled and reversibly attached to a bag. The bag may be configured to selectively receive at least some of fluid held by the drainage container. The bag may be detached from the drainage container and disposed of in a substantially fluid tight manner without disrupting operation of the drainage container (e.g., receiving and holding a fluid).

A medical preparation dividing method is dividing a medical preparation stored in a storage member into a plurality of division bags by gravitational force through a primary tube, a branch portion, and a plurality of branch tubes. A medical preparation dividing unit has a curved portion formed in another end side of the primary tube, an inlet of the branch portion arranged above the curved portion, and outlets of the branch portion arranged above the inlet, in a state where the plurality of division bags is held with a holding tool.

Biomedical containers for sampling and mixing biological fluids are disclosed. The biomedical containers are at least substantially spherical and include access sites for accessing the container interior. The containers may be included as part of a disposable biological fluid processing kit.