The present invention provides a method and means useful for recovering an extracellular vesicle. More specifically, the present invention provides the following (I) and (II).

(I) A method for recovering extracellular vesicle, the method including: (1) mixing whole blood with a nonionic surfactant and a chelating agent to give a mixture solution containing the extracellular vesicle, the nonionic surfactant and the chelating agent; and (2) separating the extracellular vesicle from the mixture solution.

(II) A blood collection vessel containing a nonionic surfactant and a chelating agent.

The invention relates to a system for treating a biological fluid such as blood or a blood component by selective removal of a target substance, comprising a treatment bag (2) provided with at least one inlet orifice (3) and at least one outlet orifice (4), said treatment bag containing a set of particles (5) having an affinity for the target substance, said set comprising small particles having a size of less than 15 μm, said system further comprising a barrier means (6) composed of at least one porous membrane made of a hydrophilic material, the pores of said membrane being calibrated to a size suitable for preventing the passage of said small particles, namely less than 3 μm.

Systems and methods are provided for separating platelets from blood. Prior to blood separation, a volume of blood to be processed, a volume of platelets to be collected, and/or a time required to complete blood draw from a source during a blood separation procedure is determined. Based on that determination, a procedure setpoint is calculated from the completion of the blood draw. Blood is subsequently drawn from a source into a separator in which the blood is separated into a mononuclear cell-containing fraction and a platelet-containing fraction. At least a portion of the platelet-containing fraction is conveyed from the separator, while the volume of the mononuclear cell-containing fraction in the separator increases. The mononuclear cell-containing fraction is conveyed to the source from the separator at the procedure setpoint. The blood draw and separation are then ended.

Flexible housing filters for filtration of fluids and methods of making such filters are disclosed. The filters may include one or more peripheral seals in the flexible housing.

A clip of the present application generally comprises a first clip member, a second clip member, and a retention feature. The first clip member and the second clip member are coupled together and capable of being placed in at least two positions. In the first position, the clip is capable of receiving a bag containing a fluid, and, in the second position, the bag is capable of being held between the first and second clip members. While the clip is holding the bag, two or more pockets are formed in the bag, and the fluid is generally restricted or prohibited from transferring from one pocket to another pocket while the clip is in this position. A retention feature retains the clip, which is holding a bag, to a centrifuge receptacle and allows the clip to be placed in a predetermined position on the centrifuge receptacle.

A system and apparatus for the collection of serous or serosanguinous fluid from a percutaneous site after surgery. A pump unit with one or more pumps or powered sources provide continuous negative pressure suction to draw fluid from the percutaneous site and pumps the fluid into disposable reservoirs with one-way valves that are easy to handle while maintaining sterility and a seal to prevent the loss of vacuum. Air is continuously removed from the reservoirs. Measurement and analysis of the output is performed automatically.

The described invention is a hyperthermia and hyperoxygenation medical apparatus for treating diseases of the blood and purification of stored blood supplies. The invention comprises a hollow chamber through which blood is made to flow. Within the hollow chamber are a heating element and a gas diffuser. As blood flows through the chamber, blood is heated to a preset limit while ozone or other beneficial gas is diffused into the blood by a diffuser with pores to a preset concentration. After heating and gasification, blood exits the hollow chamber and is either returned to the patient or returned to storage. The hollow chamber, heating element and gas diffuser are designed to maintain efficient, linear blood flow through the invention, in part by taking advantage of die radial symmetry of the hollow chamber and diffuser designs. Linear flow ensures uniform and controlled heating and gasification of the blood with negligible undesirable turbulence to the blood components.

A method for collecting plasma includes determining the weight and hematocrit of a donor, and inserting a venous-access device into the donor. The method then withdraws blood from the donor through a draw line connected to a blood component separation device, and introduces anticoagulant into the withdrawn blood. The blood component separation device separates the blood into a plasma component and a second blood component, and the plasma component is collected from the blood component separation device and into a plasma collection container. The method may then calculate (1) a percentage of anticoagulant in the collected plasma component, and (2) a volume of pure plasma collected within the plasma collection container. The volume of pure plasma may be based, at least in part, on the calculated percentage of anticoagulant. The method may continue until a target volume of pure plasma is collected within the plasma collection container.

Systems and methods for processing biological fluids are disclosed. The systems and methods use a reusable hardware unit and a disposable fluid processing circuit that mounts onto the reusable hardware unit. The system and method, under the direction of a pre-programmed controller allow for automatically, opening one or more flow paths to effect addition of one or both parts of an additive solution to a biological fluid component.

A sterile solution product bag includes sterilization grade filter integrated directly into the product bag such that microbial and particulate matter filtration can be performed using the filter directly at the point of fill. The filter can include a hollow fiber filter membrane contained in a stem connected to a bladder of the product bag.