Method for handling blood sample to ensure blood components are isolated

A method of collecting cellular components from whole blood, said method comprising:

• a) providing a flexible centrifuge bag comprising radially extending upper and lower flexible sheets and having at least one inlet tube, a first outlet tube, a second outlet tube, and a third outlet tube;
• b) providing a centrifuge;
• c) securing said flexible centrifuge bag in said centrifuge whereby said centrifuge bag is rotatable therewith;
• d) rotating said centrifuge and said centrifuge bag;
• e) providing an aliquot of said whole blood to said rotating centrifuge bag via said inlet tube, whereby said whole blood components separate radially into an outermost first fraction containing red blood cells, a second fraction containing white blood cells, a third fraction containing platelet rich plasma, and an innermost fourth fraction containing platelet poor plasma, wherein the distal end of said outlet tube is in flow communication with a desired cellular components fraction;
• and
• f) withdrawing said desired cellular fraction from said rotating centrifuge bag via said first outlet tube until a substantial portion of said desired cellular fraction has been removed from said bag and terminating withdrawal of said desired cellular fraction when an undesired cellular fraction is detected to be near the distal end of said first outlet tube.

A method for harvesting platelets from whole blood, comprising:

• a) providing a disposable centrifuge bag comprising:
• i) upper and lower flexible sheets, said sheets having doughnut shaped configurations, inner perimeters defining a central core of said centrifuge bag, and outer perimeters, wherein said upper and lower sheets are superimposed and completely sealed together at their outer and inner perimeters;
• ii) a first processing compartment for receiving said whole blood and separating said whole blood into a red blood cell fraction and a platelet suspension fraction;
• iii) a second processing compartment for separating platelets from said platelet suspension fraction;
• iv) channels for directing said platelet suspension fraction from said first processing compartment into said second processing compartment;
• v) an inlet tube for introducing said whole blood to said first processing chamber;
• and
• vi) an outlet tube for removing platelets from said second processing compartment;
• b) providing a centrifuge;
• c) securing said flexible centrifuge bag in said centrifuge, whereby said centrifuge bag is fixably rotatable with said centrifuge;
• d) rotating said centrifuge;
• e) providing an aliquot of whole blood to said rotating centrifuge bag via said inlet tube, whereby the whole blood separates radially within said first processing compartment into a red blood cell fraction and a platelet suspension fraction;
• f) repeating step e) as necessary until said platelet suspension flows through said channels into said second processing compartment and terminating said providing step when said red blood cell fraction is detected to be near said channels, whereby said platelets separate from said platelet suspension in said second processing compartment;
• and
• g) removing said platelet concentrate from said second processing compartment via second outlet tube.

A method for harvesting platelet rich plasma from whole blood, comprising:

• a) providing a disposable centrifuge bag comprising:
• i) upper and lower flexible sheets, said sheets having doughnut shaped configurations, inner perimeters defining a central core of said centrifuge bag, and outer perimeters, wherein said upper and lower sheets are superimposed and completely sealed together at their outer and inner perimeters;
• ii) an outer compartment for receiving said whole blood;
• iii) an inner compartment between said outer compartment and said core;
• iv) first and second channels for providing fluid communication between said outer and said compartments;
• v) an inlet port in said lower sheet in fluid communication with said outer compartment for introducing whole blood into said outer compartment;
• vi) first and second outlet ports in said lower sheet and positioned in said first and second channels, respectively, for removing platelets from said centrifuge bag;
• vii) an inlet tube fixed to the outer surface of said lower sheet and extending radially from the central core, wherein the distal end of said inlet tube is in fluid communication with said inlet port;
• and
• viii) an outlet tube fixed to the outer surface of said lower sheet and extending across the diameter of said central core, wherein the first and second ends of said outlet tube are in fluid communication with said first and second outlet ports, respectively;
• b) providing a centrifuge;
• c) securing said centrifuge bag in said centrifuge, whereby said centrifuge bag is fixably rotatable with said centrifuge;
• d) rotating said centrifuge;
• e) providing an aliquot of whole blood to said rotating centrifuge bag via said inlet tube, whereby the whole blood separates radially within said outer compartment into an outer red blood cell fraction and an inner platelet rich plasma fraction;
• f) repeating step e) until said platelet rich plasma fraction flows into said channels;
• and
• g) withdrawing said platelet rich plasma fraction through said outlet ports until said red blood cell fraction is detected to be near said outlet ports.

A method of harvesting platelet rich plasma from anticoagulated whole blood, said method comprising:

• a) providing a rigid centrifuge container comprising
• i) a rigid annular body having an axial core;
• ii) an interior collection chamber for receiving and holding said whole blood during centrifugation, said chamber having an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter and having a generally off-centered figure eight-shaped side cross-sectional configuration wherein the narrowest portion of said chamber is closer to the inner perimeter;
• iii) an inlet channel extending radially from said core to a distance near the outer perimeter of said chamber, the distal end of said inlet channel being in fluid communication with the interior of said chamber;
• and
• iv) an outlet channel extending radially from said core to a distance approximately near the narrowest portion of said chamber, said outlet channel being in fluid communication with the interior of said chamber at the narrowest portion;
• b) providing a centrifuge;
• c) securing said rigid centrifuge container to said centrifuge;
• d) rotating said centrifuge and said centrifuge container;
• e) providing an aliquot of said whole blood to said rotating centrifuge container via said inlet channel, whereby said whole blood separates radially within said chamber into an outermost first fraction containing red blood cells, a second fraction containing white blood cells, a third fraction containing platelet rich plasma, and an innermost fourth fraction containing platelet poor plasma, and wherein the distal end of said outlet channel is positioned to be in flow communication with said platelet rich plasma fraction;
• and
• f) removing said platelet rich plasma from said rotating centrifuge container via said outlet channel.

A method for harvesting platelet rich plasma from anticoagulated whole blood, comprising:

• a) providing a flexible centrifuge bag comprising an inlet tube and at least one outlet tube;
• b) providing a rotatable rotor comprising an annular base having a lower annular channel and an annular cover having an upper annular channel for holding said flexible centrifuge bag therebetween;
• c) positioning said flexible centrifuge bag in said base;
• d) superimposing said cover over said base, whereby said lower and upper channels define an interior chamber having a generally off-centered figure eight cross-sectional configuration and wherein said centrifuge bag is fixably rotatable with said rotor;
• e) rotating said rotor;
• f) introducing an aliquot of said fluid to said rotating centrifuge bag via said inlet tube, whereby whole blood components separate into at least an outer red blood cell fraction and an inner platelet rich plasma fraction based on their densities at varying radial distances from the central axis;
• and
• g) removing said platelet rich plasma fraction via said outlet tube.