# US 8,540,657 B1 · Method and apparatus for equine plasmapheresis > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,540,657 B1 - Document ID: US8540657B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 12/614,298 - Filed: 2009-11-06 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2008-11-07 - Assignees: Auburn University - Applicants: Kenny V. Brock; Sara Ziska - Inventors: Kenny V. Brock; Sara Ziska - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8540657B1 ## CPC - A61D 1/00: Surgical instruments for veterinary use - A61M 1/3496: {Plasmapheresis; Leucopheresis; Lymphopheresis (A61M1/3472 takes precedence)} - A61M 1/36224: {with sensing means or components thereof} - A61M 1/36225: {with blood pumping means or components thereof} - A61M 1/362262: {Details of incorporated reservoirs} - A61M 1/362265: {Details of valves} - A61M 1/362266: {Means for adding solutions or substances to the blood} - A61M 1/38: Removing constituents from donor blood and {storing or} returning remainder to body {, e.g. for transfusion} - A61D: VETERINARY INSTRUMENTS, IMPLEMENTS, TOOLS, OR METHODS - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} ## Abstract Methods of and apparatuses for equine plasma collection are provided. Modified plasmapheresis instruments and modified disposable plasmapheresis tubing are introduced. By using the modified procedures and instruments, a high-speed, high volume, continuous-flow process of automated equine plasmapheresis is developed. The modified closed systems remove whole blood from the donor horses, separate plasma from the cellular components of blood, and simultaneously returning concentrated cells back to the donor horses. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for collecting non-human plasma comprising: a. at least two non-human blood receiving devices; and b. at least two non-human plasma separators coupled with the at least two non-human blood receiving devices, wherein the non-human plasma separators couple with a plasma collecting line and a blood returning line, and wherein the plasma collecting line receives non-human plasma while the blood returning line simultaneously returns blood cells back to the donor animal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a donor blood line, wherein the donor blood line receives blood from a donor animal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein a tourniquet is wrapped around the neck of the donor animal, partially occluding an extraction vein but not obstructing the return vein, in order to provide adequate blood flow during a plasmapheresis procedure. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the donor blood line connects to a splitter, wherein the splitter splits the blood received from the donor animal into a first portion and a second portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the first portion of the blood received is transferred to a first non-human blood receiving device and the second portion of the blood received is transferred to a second non-human blood receiving device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein both the first and second non-human blood receiving devices contain an anticoagulation substance supplier for supplying an anticoagulation substance to prevent coagulation of the blood. ### Claim 7 A system for collecting non-human plasma comprising: a. at least two non-human blood receiving devices; and b. at least two non-human plasma separators coupled with the at least two non-human blood receiving devices, wherein the non-human plasma separators couple with a plasma collecting line and a blood returning line, and wherein the plasma collecting line receives non-human plasma while the blood returning line simultaneously returns blood cells back to the donor animal, wherein the non-human plasma separators separate the non-human plasma from the non-human blood cells, wherein the separated non-human plasma from both the first non-human plasma separator and the second non-human plasma separator are combined and collected as one unit, wherein the separated non-human blood cells from the first non-human plasma separator are combined with the separated non-human blood cells from the second non-human plasma separator and returned to the donor animal through one catheter. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, further comprising a donor blood line, wherein the donor blood line receives blood from a donor animal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein a tourniquet is wrapped around the neck of the donor animal, partially occluding an extraction vein but not obstructing the return vein, in order to provide adequate blood flow during a plasmapheresis procedure. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the donor blood line connects to a splitter, wherein the splitter splits the blood received from the donor animal into a first portion and a second portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the first portion of the blood received is transferred to the first non-human blood receiving device and the second portion of the blood received is transferred to a second non-human blood receiving device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein both the first and second non-human blood receiving devices contain an anticoagulation substance supplier for supplying an anticoagulation substance to prevent coagulation of the blood.