Use of nitric oxide gas in an extracorporeal circuitry to treat blood plasma

An extracorporeal blood circuit comprising:

• an inlet line adapted to obtain blood from a mammal or a blood source;
• an outlet line adapted to return blood to the mammal or blood source;
• a fluid circuit for fluid communication between the inlet and the outlet line, wherein the fluid circuit comprises:
• at least one pump acting on the fluid circuit to circulate the blood therethrough;
• a separation unit in fluid communication with the inlet line, wherein the separation unit is adapted to separate the blood received from the mammal or source into plasma and blood cells;
• a nitric oxide unit that exposes the plasma with a nitric oxide containing gas;
• a mixer for combining the exposed plasma with the blood cells;
• and
• a reduction unit for reducing the nitric oxide content in the recombined blood, wherein the reduction unit is in fluid communication with the outlet line and contacts the recombined blood with a gaseous source having a nitric oxide content that is less than the recombined blood.

A method of reducing pathogens in blood, the method comprising:

• obtaining blood from a mammal or a blood source;
• separating the blood into plasma and blood cells;
• exposing the plasma to nitric oxide containing gas;
• combining the exposed plasma with the blood cells;
• reducing nitric oxide gas content in the recombined blood by providing a semipermeable membrane selectively permeable to nitric oxide gas in between the recombined blood and a gaseous source;
• and
• returning the recombined blood to the mammal or blood source.

An extracorporeal blood circuit comprising:

• an inlet line adapted to obtain blood from a mammal or a blood source;
• an outlet line adapted to return blood to the mammal or blood source;
• a fluid circuit for fluid communication between the inlet and the outlet line, wherein the fluid circuit comprises:
• at least one pump acting on the fluid circuit to circulate the blood therethrough;
• a separation unit in fluid communication with the inlet line, wherein the separation unit is adapted to separate the blood received from the mammal or source into plasma and blood cells;
• a nitric oxide unit that exposes the plasma with a nitric oxide gas containing gas;
• a mixer for combining the exposed plasma with the blood cells;
• and
• a reduction unit for reducing the nitric oxide content in the recombined blood, wherein the reduction unit is in fluid communication with the outlet line and comprises a semipermeable membrane selectively permeable to nitric oxide gas operably fitted in between the combined blood and a gaseous source.