Sterilizable system for blood storage
AssigneeMiles Inc.
InventorsRaleigh A. Carmen, Chi-Yong Chong
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved heat sterilizable blood bag system adapted for containing and mixing of different materials originally placed in separate but potentially communicating compartments. The improvement comprises of having a smaller squeezable compartment for one material attached to and capable of communicating with a larger compartment for the other material. The material in the smaller compartment is separated from the interior of the larger compartment by means of an externally manipulatable closure means which, when opened, permits mixture of the contents in the first compartment and contents of the second compartment when the smaller compartment is repeatedly squeezed.
Claims8
In a closed, heat sterilizable, blood bag system comprising at least one flexible bag adapted to receive and store a blood component, the improvement comprising a squeezable, resilient compartment extending from the bag vis a conduit and containing a solid, pH buffering material within the compartment, the solid material being separated from the interior of the flexible bag by means of an externally manipulable closure system located outside of the conduit which, when opened, permits the mixture of the solid pH buffering material with the contents of the bag, thereby assuring pH control of the bag contents over prolonged periods of time, the squeezable, resilient compartment providing means for drawing the contents of the flexible bag into the compartment when the closure system is opened.
In a method of storing platelets comprising holding platelets in a closed, flexible, gas permeable plastic bag for a given period, the improvement which comprises having attached to the bag a separate squeezable compartment which includes a heat sterilizable, solid pH buffering material, the buffering material being separated from the interior by means of an externally manipulatable closure system, the closure system capable of being manipulated to open communication between the interior of the bag and the interior of the compartment such that the contents of the bag and the compartment can be mixed for pH control of the bag contents.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.