Aphaeretic biopsy system including microfluidic device
AssigneeAstrin Biosciences, Inc.
InventorsJayant Parthasarathy, Badrinath R. Konety, Judith Kaylee Kamalanathan, Mahdi Ahmadi, Jiarong Hong
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Abstract
The present embodiments relate to an aphaeretic biopsy system. The aphaeretic biopsy system can implement a dialysis-like process to obtain a bloodstream by a draw line, separate released tumor cells (RTCs) from the bloodstream, capture the RTCs in a reservoir for further analysis, and return the remaining portion of the bloodstream to the patient via a return line.
Claims29
A method for capturing released tumor cells (RTCs) in an aphaeretic biopsy system including a removable cartridge and an outer housing, the method comprising:
- obtaining, at the removable cartridge, a stream of blood cells via a draw line connected to the removable cartridge, wherein the stream of blood cells are drawn into the removable cartridge via a peristaltic pump within the outer housing;
- passing the stream of blood cells into one or more microfluidic devices in the removable cartridge, wherein the one or more microfluidic devices are configured to separate cells in the stream of blood cells as the stream of blood cells is directed through the one or more microfluidic devices;
- outputting the RTCs in the stream of blood cells separated in the one or more microfluidic devices to a reservoir in the removable cartridge via a first outlet from any of the one or more microfluidic devices;
- and
- returning a remaining portion of the stream of blood cells obtained at a second outlet from any of the one or more microfluidic devices via a return line connected to the removable cartridge.
An aphaeretic biopsy system comprising:
- an outer housing;
- a peristaltic pump within the outer housing;
- and
- a removable cartridge configured to be disposed within the outer housing, the removable cartridge comprising:
- a draw line configured to direct a stream of blood cells into the removable cartridge, wherein the peristaltic pump is configured to draw the stream of blood cells into the removable cartridge;
- one or more microfluidic devices configured to separate cells in the stream of blood cells that are directed through the one or more microfluidic devices;
- a reservoir configured to capture released tumor cells (RTCs) obtained from a first outlet of the one or more microfluidic devices;
- and
- a return line configured to direct a remaining portion of the stream of blood cells obtained from a second outlet of any of the one or more microfluidic devices.
A method for configuring a cartridge that is part of an aphaeretic biopsy system, the method comprising:
- connecting a draw line to a cartridge, the draw line configured to direct a stream of blood cells to the cartridge;
- inserting a syringe comprising an anti-coagulant into the cartridge, wherein the anti-coagulant is configured to be added to the stream of blood cells;
- adding a stack of one or more microfluidic devices into the cartridge, wherein the stack of one or more microfluidic devices are configured to separate particles in the stream of blood by a particle size and/or a flow rate;
- connecting a reservoir to the cartridge, the reservoir configured to capture released tumor cells outputted at a first outlet of any of the one or more microfluidic devices;
- and
- connecting a return line to the cartridge, the return line configured to direct a remaining portion of the stream of blood cells outputted at a second outlet of any of the one or more microfluidic devices.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.