Blood and bone marrow fractionation devices and methods

A method of collecting a blood or bone marrow aspirate (BMA) fraction, the method comprising:

• providing a fractionation device comprising:
• a sidewall, the sidewall having a generally cylindrical profile;
• a top wall connected to an upper portion of the sidewall;
• a bottom wall connected to a lower portion of the sidewall;
• an interior partition comprising:
• a sloped portion contacting the sidewall;
• and
• a vertical portion contacting the top wall;
• an upper chamber defined within the fractionation device by the interior partition, the top wall, and the upper portion of the sidewall;
• a lower chamber defined within the fractionation device by the interior partition, an upper plunger surface of a captive plunger engaged with the sidewall, and the lower portion of the sidewall;
• a lower region of the upper chamber defined by the sloped portion of the interior partition adjacent to the sidewall;
• a sloped indentation formed in the sidewall, the sloped indentation defining a side of the sloped portion and causing the sloped portion to become narrower toward the lower region;
• and
• a threaded opening formed in and through the bottom wall;
• obtaining blood or bone marrow aspirate (BMA) from a patient;
• pretreating the blood or the BMA from the patient;
• inserting the blood or the BMA into the lower chamber of the fractionation device;
• centrifuging the fractionation device in a first centrifuge cycle to separate the blood or the BMA into different layers;
• engaging a threaded rod with the threaded opening;
• rotating the threaded rod within the threaded opening to cause the captive plunger to rise within the lower chamber of the fractionation device until a plasma layer overflows into the upper chamber of the fractionation device via an overflow window formed in the vertical portion of the interior partition and providing a fluid pathway between an input channel and the upper chamber;
• and
• removing at least a portion of the plasma layer from the upper chamber of the fractionation device.

A system comprising:

• a fractionation device comprising:
• a sidewall, the sidewall having a generally cylindrical profile;
• a top wall connected to an upper portion of the sidewall;
• a bottom wall connected to a lower portion of the sidewall;
• an interior partition comprising:
• a sloped portion contacting the sidewall;
• and
• a vertical portion contacting the top wall;
• an upper chamber defined within the fractionation device by the interior partition, the top wall, and the upper portion of the sidewall;
• a lower chamber defined within the fractionation device by the interior partition, an upper plunger surface of a captive plunger engaged with the sidewall, and the lower portion of the sidewall;
• a lower region of the upper chamber defined by the sloped portion of the interior partition adjacent to the sidewall;
• a sloped indentation formed in the sidewall, the sloped indentation defining a side of the sloped portion and causing the sloped portion to become narrower toward the lower region;
• and
• a threaded opening formed in and through the bottom wall;
• a centrifuge configured to receive the fractionation device;
• and
• a counterweight configured to be placed in the centrifuge opposite the fractionation device to counterbalance the fractionation device and having a first center of gravity in a first orientation and a second center of gravity in a second orientation.