Apheresis apparatus and method for producing blood products

An apheresis apparatus for performing a plurality of processing cycles, each processing cycle comprising:

• operating a first pump for collecting whole blood;
• separating the collected whole blood into a higher density component, an intermediate density-component and a lower density component;
• and
• harvesting at least the intermediate density component and returning at least the higher density component;
• wherein the apparatus comprises a second pump for using the lower density component to dilute the whole blood during collection, and
• wherein the apparatus comprises a controller having a computer readable medium encoded to perform a method, the method comprising:
• calculating a number of units of the intermediate density component to be harvested during one cycle in response to at least one characteristic associated with the whole blood, calculating a total number of cycles, and variably controlling a process volume of whole blood per cycle of the plurality of processing cycles by increasing or decreasing a filling density of the higher density component within said centrifuge so that the total number of units of the intermediate density component harvested from said total cycles equals a predetermined number of units.

A method for producing a blood product from collected whole blood, the method comprising performing more than one processing cycle, each cycle including the steps of:

• supplying whole blood into a centrifuge;
• separating the whole blood in said centrifuge into a higher density component, an intermediate density component and a lower density component;
• supplying the lower density component for diluting the whole blood supplied to the centrifuge;
• and
• harvesting at least said intermediate density component,
• wherein the steps of supplying whole blood, separating the whole blood, supplying the lower density component, and harvesting are repeated for each cycle performed;
• the method further comprising the step of determining a process volume per cycle of whole blood in response to at least one characteristic associated with the whole blood, wherein determining the process volume per cycle of whole blood is performed by increasing or decreasing speed of rotation of the centrifuge and/or increasing or decreasing the amount of the lower density component supplied by the second pump to attain the process volume per cycle of whole blood.

A method for producing from collected whole blood a blood product of an intermediate density component at a predetermined number of units, the method comprising more than one cycle including the steps of:

• supplying whole blood into a centrifuge;
• rotating said centrifuge at a predetermined speed to separate the whole blood into a higher density component, an intermediate density component and a lower density component;
• supplying the lower density component at a predetermined flow rate to dilute the whole blood supplied to said centrifuge;
• and
• harvesting at least said intermediate density component;
• said method further comprising the steps of:
• determining in response to at least one characteristic associated with the whole blood the number of units of said intermediate density component to be harvested from one cycle;
• determining the number of total cycles so as to exceed said predetermined number of units;
• and
• determining a process volume of whole blood per cycle so that the total number of units of said intermediate density component harvested in said total cycles neighbors said predetermined number of units.