WOUND DRESSING SYSTEM

Abstract

Device for the recovery of cell-free serum from whole blood, comprising a blood bag for the reception and the coagulation of the whole blood into a solid fraction and into a fluid containing a serum, wherein the blood bag has an outlet and a barrier in the area of the outlet which is suitable for retaining at least a major portion of the solid fraction and for the passage of said fluid, a filter module which is fluidically connected to the blood bag via the outlet, comprising an interior in which a semi-permeable membrane is arranged which subdivides the interior into a retentate space and a permeate space and allows the separation of the fluid into a serum as a permeate and into a retentate in which possible particulate components contained in the fluid remain, wherein the filter module has an inlet device for introducing the fluid into the retentate space and a permeate outlet for discharging the serum from the permeate space, and at least one receiving container for serum, comprising an inlet opening which is connected to the permeate outlet of the filter module via a connecting line.

Method for the recovery of cell-free serum from whole blood, wherein the method can be carried out by means of the described device.

Claims

1. Device for the recovery of cell-free serum from whole blood, wherein the device comprises: a blood bag to receive whole blood and for the coagulation of the whole blood into a solid fraction containing the cell components of the blood and into a fluid containing serum, wherein the blood bag has an outlet for the discharge of the fluid from the blood bag and a barrier in the region of the outlet, which barrier is suitable for retaining at least most of the solid fraction and for the passage of said fluid, a filter module which is fluidically connected to the blood bag via the outlet, wherein the filter module has a housing having an interior and an internal wall bounding the interior, in which internal wall is arranged a semipermeable membrane suitable for retaining solid fractions contained in the fluid, which membrane subdivides the interior into a retentate space and a permeate space, wherein the semipermeable membrane enables a separation of the fluid discharged from the blood bag into serum as permeate and into a retentate in which possible particulate components contained in the fluid remain, and wherein the filter module has an inlet device for introducing the fluid discharged from the blood bag into the retentate space, and a permeate outlet for discharging the serum from the permeate space, as well as at least one receiving container for serum, which receiving container has an inlet opening, wherein the permeate outlet of the filter module and the inlet opening of the at least one receiving container are connected via a connecting line.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the semipermeable membrane of the filter module is a bundle of hollow fiber membranes, and the retentate space is formed by the lumens of the hollow fiber membranes, and the permeate space is formed by the external space surrounding the hollow fiber membranes and bounded by the internal wall of the housing.

3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the bundle is formed in a U-shape by hollow fiber membranes.

4. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the semipermeable membrane of the filter module has a trans-membrane flow in a range from 100,000 to 400,000 dm3/(m2.Math.h.Math.MPa) (from 10,000 to 40,000 L/(m2.Math.h.Math.bar)).

5. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the semipermeable membrane of the filter module has a nominal pore of 0.2 ?m.

6. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the filter module furthermore has a retentate outlet for discharging the retentate.

7. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least two receiving containers for serum that are arranged in parallel with one another, wherein the inlet openings of the receiving containers are connected via a respective connecting line with the permeate outlet of the filter module.

8. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least two receiving containers for serum that are arranged in series, wherein the receiving containers are fluidically connected with one another, and wherein the inlet opening of the first receiving container is connected via a connecting line with the permeate outlet of the filter module.

9. Method for the recovery of cell-free serum from whole blood, including the steps provision of whole blood in a blood bag, coagulation of the whole blood in the blood bag into a solid fraction containing the cell components of the blood and into a fluid containing serum, discharging of the fluid containing the serum via an outlet of the blood bag, wherein the blood bag has a barrier in the region of the outlet, which barrier is suitable for retaining at least most of the solid fraction, introduction of the fluid into a retentate space of a filter module via an inlet device for the introduction of the fluid, filtering of the fluid by means of a semipermeable membrane arranged in the filter module and suitable to retain solid fractions contained in the fluid, whereby cell-free serum is obtained as a permeate and as a retentate in which solid fractions of the fluid remain, discharging of the cell-free serum via a permeate outlet of the filter module, and introduction of the cell-free serum into at least one receiving container via an inlet opening of the at least one receiving container, wherein the permeate outlet and the inlet opening are connected via a connecting line.

10. Method to recover cell-free serum from whole blood according to claim 9, characterized in that the outflow from the blood bag into the filter module, and furthermore from the filter module into the at least one receiving container, takes place solely under the effect of gravity.

11. Method to recover cell-free serum from whole blood according to claim 9, characterized in that a device according to claim 1 is used.

Description

[0064] The invention is explained in detail using the following Figures, wherein the scope of the invention is not limited by Figures.

[0065] Shown are:

[0066] FIG. 1: capillary membrane system usable in a wound care system, having a mat made up of capillary membranes and supply lines at both ends of the mat.

[0067] FIG. 2: capillary membrane system usable in a wound care system, with a supply line at one of the mat ends as well as U-shaped capillary membrane ends at the opposite mat end.

[0068] FIG. 3: cross section (schematic) through a pocket-like wound dressing system usable in a wound care system.

[0069] FIG. 4: section A-A of the pocket-like wound dressing system shown in cross section in FIG. 3.

[0070] FIG. 1 shows, schematically in plan view and not to scale, a capillary membrane system 2 made up of capillary membranes 3 that is usable in a wound care system 1 according to the invention. The capillary membranes 3 are connected by means of connecting elements 4 traveling parallel to one another to form a mat, such that they are arranged parallel to one another and held at a distance from one another. In the present example, the capillary membranes 3 are embedded with their opposite ends in supply lines 5, 6 so that a fluid connection exists between the lumens of the supply lines 5, 6 and the lumen of the capillary membranes 3. The supply lines 5, 6 are combined into a common line 8 via a Y-joint 7. From this design, it results that the flushing fluid or the treatment solution that is supplied via the line 8 is divided up among the supply lines 5, 6 and is supplied to the capillary membranes 3 in dead-end mode. Via the porous, semipermeable walls of the capillary membranes 3, the flushing fluid or the treatment solution then flows out from these and is uniformly supplied to the wound across the surface of the capillary membrane system 2.

[0071] FIG. 2 likewise shows, schematically and not to scale, a wound care system 1 in which the capillary membranes 3 are connected with only one supply line 5. The capillary membranes are open at both of their ends and embedded with both of their ends in a supply line 5. The free ends 10 of the capillary membranes 3 are U-shaped at the end of the mat that is opposite the supply line 5, and are thereby closed there. In this way, the inflow in the capillary membranes 3 of the capillary membrane system 2 shown in FIG. 3 takes place in dead-end mode.

[0072] FIG. 3 schematically shows a cross section through a pocket-like wound dressing 10 which has a top side 11 and an underside 12 that are welded with one another at their edge 13a, 13b, for example, whereby a closed pocket interior 14 is created. Presently, to simplify the presentation only a first capillary membrane system 2 is arranged in the pocket interior 14, which first capillary membrane system 2 comprises capillary membranes 3 that are connected with one another and held at a distance from one another via connecting elements 4 traveling parallel to one another, preferably in the form of multifilament yarns. In one embodiment, a required second capillary membrane system corresponding to the present invention may be arranged above or below the shown capillary membrane system 2, wherein the supply lines of the first capillary membrane system and of the second capillary membrane system may then be directed out from the pocket-like wound dressing 10 on the same side or on different sides of this.

[0073] In the present instance, the capillary membranes 3 with their opposite ends open into supply lines 5, 6 so that fluids, media, gases and/or other substances can be conducted through the supply lines 5, 6 and the capillary membrane system 2. The supply lines 5, 6 are directed out through the top side 11 of the pocket-like wound dressing 10 (not shown here).

[0074] Arranged below the two-dimensional capillary membrane system 2 is a drainage hose 15, via which exudate collecting in the wound may be removed.

[0075] FIG. 4 shows the wound dressing system presented in FIG. 3 in a cross section along the line A-A. In principle, it is a plan view from a position above the underside 12 of the pocket-like wound dressing 10 in the direction of the top side 11 of said pocket-like wound dressing 10. Arranged below the top side 11, i.e. as shown in FIG. 3, between underside 12 and top side 11, is the capillary membrane system 2 that is made up of capillary membranes 3 parallel to one another that are connected with one another and held at a distance from one another via the connecting elements 4. The capillary membranes 3 are embedded with their opposite ends in the supply lines 5, 6 so that fluids, media, gases and/or other substances can be conducted through the supply lines 5, 6 and the capillary membrane system 2. The supply lines 5, 6 are directed out of the pocket-like wound dressing 10 through the top side 11 of the pocket-like wound dressing 10, via correspondingly adapted openings in the top side 11, and in the present example are merged via a Y-connector 16 outside of the pocket-like wound dressing 10. In the present instance, the capillary membrane system 2 is thus operated in dead-end mode, meaning that a medium supplied via the supply lines 5, 6 is introduced into the capillary membrane system 2 and enters into the pocket interior entirely via the walls of the capillary membranes 3.

[0076] Also shown in FIG. 2 is the drainage hose 15 that is arranged below the capillary membrane system 2. The drainage hose has perforations in its wall so that, for example, exudate collecting in the wound may be suctioned via the drainage hose and thus removed from the wound. The drainage hose 15 is likewise directed out from the pocket-like wound dressing 10 via a correspondingly adapted opening in the top side 11 and, for example, can be connected with a negative pressure unit (not shown).