AU2769200A

AU2769200A - Arrangement to decant blood

Info

Publication number: AU2769200A
Application number: AU27692/00A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Helga Bertotti; Josef Werfring
Original assignee: OSTERREICHISCHE ROTE KREUZ
Current assignee: OSTERREICHISCHE ROTE KREUZ
Priority date: 1999-04-30
Filing date: 2000-04-12
Publication date: 2000-11-02
Also published as: EP1048305A2; NO20002245L; ATA78299A; CA2307517A1; JP2000334035A; AT407955B; HU0001699D0; EP1048305A3; HUP0001699A2; PL339824A1; NO20002245D0; BR0002133A

Description

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AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 Osterreichische Rote Kreuz

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: oo Arrangement to decant blood The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to us:e c g. 6 The invention concerns an arrangement for the transfer of donor blood present in an acceptance bag or a similar fluid in a collection bag, having a carrying means for the acceptance bag that is arranged elevated relative to the collection bag, having a S connection line between the acceptance bag and the collection bag, said line S 5 exhibiting at least one filter element together with a bypass that can only be traversed in the direction from the collection to the acceptance bag by means of a check element, and having an expression station for the collection bag by means of which the contents of the collection bag can be partially pressed back into the connection line to the acceptance bag via the check element.

The donor blood present in the acceptance bag (which is usually composed of transparent plastic) after the blood donation must be transferred as gently as possible from the acceptance bag according to current health standards prior to further processing and thereby passed through a filter element, usually referred to as leucocyte filters or such. Since one must pay particular attention thereby that no air or air bubbles are, in turn, in the blood being temporarily stored in the collection bag, there are most often specific procedures prescribed for this transfer as can be implemented in a standardized manner using an arrangement of the species described in the beginning. The acceptance bag is suspended at the carrying L0 means elevated higher than the collection bag opposite it, such that the connection line (embodied in turn as a transparent plastic hose) to the collection bag emerges at its underside so that the transfer can principally ensue solely under the influence of gravity after opening potential shut-off elements on the bags or, respectively, in the connection line. After the blood has transferred completely from the acceptance 2 bag to the collection bag via the connection line and the filter element, the collection bag is manually compressed on a suitable support base to remove potential air or air bubbles that collect directly below the connection line leading into the collection bag at the top, whereby, first, air and air bubbles and then airfree blood are pressed out of the collection bag back into the connection line to the acceptance bag. To preclude a back washing of said filter elements, either these can only traversed in the original transfer direction from donor bag to the collection bag) or a shut-off element is provided on the discharge side which is to be closed prior to the described press-back. In addition, a bypass is provided for the filter element in the connection line that enables this reverse flow of the blood toward the acceptance bag. The rising blood column is pressed back in the direction of the acceptance bag as long as it takes until pure blood or, respectively, blood no longer exhibiting enclosed air bubbles re-enters the acceptance bag.

Depending on the requirements, the air-free collection bag can then be closed and 6 withdrawn or other additional operations may be carried out- it is also possible, however, to allow the blood currently located in the connection line (provided that it is air-free) to flow at least partly into the collection bag again in order to attain an optimally high blood reclamation. The empty donor bag together with the connection line and filter element with bypass are subsequently disposed of.

Disadvantageous in such known arrangements is particularly that the manual manipulation and especially the described manual air removal is relatively arduous, on the one hand, given greater numbers of acceptance bags to be processed and, on the other hand, there are always certain sources of error with such a manual handling process that, for example, lead to a qualitative loss given air remaining in the collection bag or, respectively, to storage damage of the blood stored therein.

The object of the present invention is to avoid the described disadvantages of the known arrangements of the species mentioned in the beginning and particularly to 3 improve such an arrangement such that the described handling can be further standardized and potential sources of errors can be further precluded.

In an arrangement of the species mentioned in the beginning, this object is achieved in accordance with the present invention as result thereof that the expression station comprises a mechanical expression unit, in which the collection bag can be compressed between pressing elements moveable relative to each other by means of a compression drive. Apart from the manipulations which are relatively noncritical with respect to potential air inclusions of the suspending of the acceptance 10 bag or, respectively, of the corresponding arranging of the requisite collection bag together with the connection lines and elements described, a far-reaching automation of, in particular, the described measures for expelling air from the collection bag becomes possible. The compressing of the collection bag can ensue S to largely automatically via the expression unit, whereby the persons involved with \5 the transfer also have far less arduous handling operations to perform.

•go• In the preferred embodiment of the invention, two essentially planarly-fashioned compression plates are provided as compression elements preferentially adapted to the shape of the collection bag, one of said plates being stationary in the expression do unit and the other being moveable by means of the compression drive preferentially capable of swiveling on a lateral axis. This results in a very simple device that can be loaded with the collection bags in an uncomplicated way, whereby a visual check of the ongoing procedures is also easily possible as needed.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the compression drive comprises a ram cylinder actuatable with hydraulic fluid, preferentially a pneumatic cylinder, that engages at the swivel axis of the compression plate via a laterally arranged swivelling lever. Such mechanisms are small, powerful, quiet and reliable, which enables a simple use of the inventive arrangement even, e.g. in hospital environs or in tight space conditions.

In another advantageous development of the invention, a spring-loaded element is inserted in the power path from the ram cylinder to the compression plate, which simply and dependably prevents the compressed compression elements from injuring the operating personnel in so far as these spring-loaded elements are appropriately laid out.

In another advantageous development of the invention, the carrying means and expression station are respectively constructed for the simultaneous accommodation of several acceptance and collection bags, whereby the compression elements and preferentially also the compression drive are respectively designed for several collection bags together. Particularly the transfer of large quantities of \5 donor blood can thereby be quickly implemented, whereby the control or, respectively, supervision of the function can still be monitored by one operating o oo person.

oooo In a further embodiment of the invention, the compression plates are respectively O arranged in pairs behind one another on a base plate of the expression station with a corresponding distance to the next plate pair, whereby the swivel axes of the moveable compression plates seated on the base plate are guided in a housing on the side of the base plate for the combined compression drive. Thus, a relatively small-sized arrangement is possible that is also very simply constructed as a result of TS the combined operation of the moveable compression plates.

In another development of the invention, the carrying means for the acceptance bag (bags) can comprise a lifting part that can be adjusted in height relative to the expression station, which enables, on the one hand, the provision of different drop heights for the transfer or filtering of blood and, on the other hand, it naturally allows the operating person to carry out the manual operations of suspending the acceptance bag at a comfortable height and thereby simplifying this task. In this latter context, a further embodiment of the invention is particularly advantageous, according to which the drives of the carrying means and the expression station can be operated via a common control unit, preferentially integrated at least in part in the housing for the compression drive. With this control, the required function sequences can be at least partially prescribed so that the operation becomes simpler and safer. Apart from the integration into the housing for the compression drive O which is advantageous with respect to operation and accommodation, a control could, of course, also be provided via external units SPS or such) In a further embodiment of the invention, provision is made that the acceptance bags are arranged on the carrying means or, respectively, the lift part with the 5 opening at their lowest point and the collection bags are arranged in the expression station or, respectively, the compression elements with the opening at their highest point, which very simply enables the transfer or filtration described already at the beginning solely under the influence of gravity so that no further measures need to be taken in this regard.

In further embodiments of the invention, flow- or, respectively, fill-level sensors for the fluid or, respectively, blood can be arranged within the area of the carrying means and/or the expression station and connected with the control unit or an display and/or evaluation means, which enables a further automation of the 2 s transfer or, respectively, filtration process as a result thereof that the next steps respectively described can always be made automatically dependent on the response of these sensors.

6 The invention is also explained in the following on the basis of the exemplary embodiments shown partly schematically in the drawing. Fig. 1 thereby shows a basic arrangement of the type described at the beginning as the Prior Art; Fig. 2 shows an arrangement according to the present invention in a perspective view; and Fig. 3 shows a partially opened, laterally diagonal view of the expression station according to Fig.2.

The arrangement according to Fig. 1 serves for the transfer of donor blood present in an acceptance bag 1 into a collection bag 2, whereby these two bags 1, 2 are O identically constructed apart therefrom, however, a differing embodiment or differing size would naturally be possible, whereby then e.g. also a larger donor bag .o.o could be connected with two correspondingly smaller collection bags via connection branches.

15 These bags 1, 2 are customarily made of transparent plastic and have diverse connection openings for a variety of purposes not of interest here for the further o oo processing of said bag contents. The arrangement that is of interest and described here can operate with a variety of embodiments and sizes of such bags 1, 2, whereby only the collection bags 2 must be for reasons still to be described in the O following capable of being compressed at least partially while their inner volume is diminishing.

The acceptance bag 1 is elevated relative to the collection bag 2 and connected to the collection bag 2 via a connection line 5 comprising a filter 3, e.g. a leucocyte S filter that is traversed only in the direction of the depicted arrow 4. Here it does not matter if this connection in the sense of a bag system is ready-made and only destructively separable or, on the contrary, is pluggable or such. A check element 7 that can only be traversed in the direction from the collection bag 2 to the acceptance bag 1 opposing arrow 4) is arranged in a bypass 6. Not shown are any shut-off means (hose clamps and such) in the connection line 5 that may be necessary or advantageous for the manipulation, yet, have nothing to do with the crux of the present invention.

The acceptance bag 1 is placed into the elevated position shown for the transfer of the donor blood present in the acceptance bag 1 into the collection bag 2, e.g.

suspended from a carrying device not shown here, after which the blood flows via gravitational effect from the acceptance bag 1 into the collection bag 2 via the connection line 5 and the filter element 3 possibly after opening the shut-off VO elements not shown here as mentioned. It is thereby not entirely possible to avoid that air or air bubbles collect under the mouth of the connection line 5 in the collection bag after it fills up, which makes the blood in collection bag 2 unusable after an extended storage or, respectively, would make further processing of said "K blood more difficult or impossible. Consequently, after the collection bag 2 fills oeoo \5 up, it is compressed, whereby first air and then blood mixed with air bubbles is pressed back into the connection line 5, namely until is ascends in the connection o••o line 5 via the bypass 6 and the check element 7 back into the acceptance bag 1 and 0000 until air free blood emerges again in the acceptance bag 1. Then the collection bag S2 connected to the connection line 5 can be closed and withdrawn after S• 0 disconnecting the connection line 5 or, however, the blood that is in the connection line 5 and free of air can be allowed to at least partially flow back and only then is the collection bag 2 closed and withdrawn or, respectively, its contents are further processed.

The acceptance bag 1 together with the connection line 5 (with filter element 3 and bypass 6) is subsequently disposed of.

According to Fig. 2, a carrying means 8 is provided only on the one side with a height-adjustable lifting part 9 for respectively six acceptance bags 1 and on the 8 other side a expression station 10 is provided with a mechanical expression unit 11, in which the six collection bags 2 arranged here can be compressed between compression elements 13 that are moveable relative to one another by means of a compression drive. Provided as compression elements here are respectively two planarly-fashioned compression plates 14 accommodating two collection bags 2, of which the one plate the back one in the illustration is stable in the expression unit 11 and the other, the front one in the illustration can swivel on an axis 15 on the basis of the compression drive 12. Apart therefrom, other suitable elements could also be provided as compression elements 13, like parallel plates, rollers or 1 such moveable relative to one another that, provided with a corresponding drive, permit a compression of the collection bags 2.

*.oo As is particularly clear in the detail illustration according to Fig. 3, the compression .drive 12 comprises a hydraulically actuated ram cylinder 16, e.g. a pneumatic '5 cylinder, the piston rod 17 of which acts on an adjustable adjustment carriage 18, which in turn activates the laterally arranged swivel lever 20 via spring-loaded o o° go elements 19, that engage for their part at the swivel axes 15 of the moveable oooo compression plates 14.

0o O The compression plates 14 are arranged one behind the other in respective pairs with an appropriate distance from the next plate pair 14 on a base plate 21 of the expression station 10, whereby the swivel axes 15 of the moveable compression plates 14 seated on the base plate 21 are guided in the housing 22 provided on the side of the base plate 21 for the combined compression drive 12. Thus a very simple, mechanical pressing of the collection bags 2 is possible, whereby it can easily be assured on the basis of the described spring-loaded elements 19 in the power path from the ram cylinder 16 to the compression plate 14 that, on the one hand, foreign particles coming inadvertently between the compression plates 14 cause no damage to the mechanism, and on the other hand, e.g. the fingers of operating persons cannot also be injured by contusions.

As already mentioned, the carrying means 8 for the acceptance bag 1 comprises a lifting part 9 that is height-adjustable relative to the expression station 10, said lifting part being located on e.g. a wall-mounted track 23 and being vertically moveable via drive elements not shown here an electrical or pneumatic linear motor, manually supported cable-pull means or such). The drives of the carrying means 8 and the expression station 10 can be operated via a common control unit which is integrated here at least partially in the housing 22 for the compression drive 12 and symbolized by the operating knobs 24. In the scope of the invention, oo this control could, however, also naturally ensue separately or via external units such as series-parallel-series memory controls (SPS) or such. In place of the pneumatic ram cylinder 16, one could naturally provide any other suitable embodiment of the compression drive as well, e.g. hydraulic cylinder, electrical geared-motor, manually supported lever mechanisms or such.

o o• Furthermore, flow- or, respectively, fill-level sensors which are not yet shown here o. could be provided in the area of the carrying means 8 and/or the expression station O 10 and connected with a control unit or, respectively, an display and/or evaluation means or such, which makes a largely automated transfer or filtration possible.

The operating manner of the arrangement shown in Fig. 2 and 3 essentially corresponds to that which is described above in connection with Fig. 1. According to Fig. 2, the lifting part 9 for suspending the acceptance bag 1 can be moved downward in the drawing so that the operating person can accomplish this task comfortably. Subsequently, the lifting part 9 is raised with the acceptance bag together with the attached connection lines r and the collection bags 2 are laid between the compression plates. After letting the contents of acceptance bag 1 transfer, the described compression of the collection bag 2 ensues to expel the air, after which the transfer is concluded as described.

It is also clear from Fig. 2 that the expression station 10 as well as the carrying means 8 can be constructed for the simultaneous accommodation of a largely arbitrary number of bags 1, 2, whereby the transfer and filtration of large quantities of blood can be accomplished and monitored quickly and easily by even one operating person.

Claims

1. Arrangement for the transfer of donor blood present in an acceptance bag 1 or a similar fluid into a collection bag ,having a carrying means for the acceptance bag elevated relative to the collection bag having a connection line between the acceptance bag and the collection bag said line comprising at least one filter element 'together with a bypass that can only be traversed in the direction from the collection bag to the acceptance bag by means of a check element ,and having an expression station for the collection bag by means of which the contents of the collection bag can be partly pressed back into the connection line to the acceptance bag via the check element characterized in that the expression station comprises a mechanical expression unit ,in which the collection bag can be compressed via a compression drive between compression elements being relatively moveable with respect to one another. see.

2. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that two essentially planarly-fashioned compression plates are provided as compression ooo *elements preferentially adapted to the form of the collection bag of which the one plate is stationary in the expression unit and the other being moveable by means of the compression drive preferentially capable of swiveling on a lateral axis,

3. Arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that the compression drive comprises a hydraulically actuated ram cylinder preferentially a pneumatic cylinder, that engages at the swivel axis of the compression plate via a laterally arranged swivelling lever

4. Arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that a spring-loaded element is inserted in the power path from the ram cylinder (16) to the compression plate Arrangement according to one or several of the claims 1 4, characterized in that the carrying means and expression station are respectively constructed for the simultaneous accommodation of several acceptance and collection bags ,whereby the compression elements and preferentially also the compression drive are respectively constructed •.for several collection bags together. 9*o S6. Arrangement according to one or several of the claims 2 5, characterized in that the compression plates are respectively arranged in pairs behind one another on a base plate of the expression station with a •corresponding distance to the next plate pair, whereby the swivel axes of the moveable compression plates located on the base plate are oo guided in a housing on the side of the base plate for the combined go• compression drive S

7. Arrangement according to one or several of the claims 1 6, characterized in that the carrying means for the acceptance bags comprises a lifting part that is height-adjustable relative to the expression station

8. Arrangement according to one or several of the claims 1 7, characterized in that the drivess of the carrying means and the expression station can be operated via a common control unit preferentially integrated at least partially in the housing for the compression drive 13

9. Arrangement according to one or several of the claims 1 8, characterized in that the acceptance bags on the carrying means or, respectively, the lifting part are arranged with the opening at their lowest point and the collection bags in the expression station or, respectively, the compression elements are arranged with the opening at their highest point. Arrangement according to one or several of the claims 1 9, characterized in that the flow- or, respectively, the fill-level sensors for the fluid are arranged in the area of the carrying means and/or the expression station and connected with the control unit or, respectively, an display- and/or :evaluating means. o °DATED THIS 12 DAY OF APRIL 2000 *OSTERREICHISCHE ROTE KREUZ Does Patent Attorneys for the Applicant:- *eee F.B.RICE CO 0 t