Process and apparatus for utilization of in vivo extracted plasma with tissue engineering devices, bioreactors, artificial organs, and cell therapy applications
AssigneesReynolds G. Gorsuch, Transvivo, Inc.
InventorReynolds G. Gorsuch
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to a method of treating cells, tissues or organs using in vivo plasma separation by implanting a plasma separation filter device within a blood vessel of a patient, or allogenic, or xenogenic donor, continuously separating blood plasma from whole blood in vivo, directing the plasma from the plasma separation filter device to a bioreactor, and exposing the plasma to cells, tissue or an organ within the bioreactor utilizing immune separation membranes where necessary.
Claims32
A method of treating cells, tissues or organs comprising:
- implanting an in vivo plasma separation device within a blood vessel of a patient or donor;
- separating blood plasma from whole blood in vivo using said plasma separation device;
- directing said plasma from the plasma separation device to a bioreactor;
- and
- exposing said plasma to cells, tissue or organ in said bioreactor.
An apparatus for carrying out a method of treating cells, tissues or organs comprising:
- a filter for being planted in a patient's blood vessel comprising a plurality of elongated hollow microporous fibers having an interior lumen and a fiber wall having a pore size capable of allowing plasma to diffuse therethrough, wherein said fibers comprise a fiber wall having a plurality of zones between the inner and outer wall surfaces, each of said zones having a mass density different than the mass density of an adjacent zone, said fiber wall characterized by having a lower mass density zone at the inner wall surface and a higher mass density zone at the outer wall surface;
- a multiple lumen catheter in fluid communication with the interior fiber lumen including a first lumen for directing separated blood plasma from said fiber lumen and a second lumen for directing blood plasma to the patient;
- a bioreactor;
- and
- a first conduit for directing plasma from the first lumen to said bioreactor, and a second conduit for directing exposed plasma from said bioreactor to the second lumen.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.