Adipose Tissue Processing Apparatus with Segmented Pellet Well
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for processing adipose tissue and cancellous bone material to obtain a concentrate of leuko stromal vascular cells face challenges such as contamination, cell viability issues, and loss of cells due to adherence to container surfaces, especially when processing involves stringy tissue like collagen.
Innovation Solution
A portable apparatus with a container design that includes a pellet well accessible from above, a filter separating tissue retention and filtrate volumes, and a tissue collector to manage stringy tissue, allowing for effective processing and direct aspiration of cell concentrates without suspending in a suspension liquid.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If multi-step processing is performed in a single portable container, then material transfer between containers is reduced, but cell viability suffers and cell loss increases due to adherence to container surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The internal containment volume is segmented into distinct functional zones: a tissue retention volume for processing adipose tissue, a filtrate volume for collecting processed material, and a pellet well for concentrating leuko stromal vascular cells. This segmentation allows each zone to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining a single portable container structure, thereby reducing cell loss through adherence to multiple container surfaces while preserving cell viability through controlled processing environments.
2Device complexity
If multi-step processing is performed in a single portable container, then equipment and process design must accommodate different requirements of each process step, but this creates severe volume constraints for practical portable size
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple processing functional zones are nested within the single portable container: the tissue retention volume contains processing elements, the filtrate volume receives processed material, and the pellet well concentrates cells. This nested arrangement allows multi-step processing capabilities to be integrated into a compact single container, achieving practical portable size while maintaining the functionality of multiple separate containers.
3Reliability
If filter is used to separate tissue and filtrate volumes, then contamination is reduced, but stringy tissue like collagen may clog the filter
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus performs preliminary mechanical disruption and enzymatic digestion of adipose tissue before filtration. The tissue retention volume includes processing elements that break down stringy collagen and connective tissue into smaller fragments, preventing filter clogging while maintaining effective separation. This preliminary action ensures the filter remains patent and functional throughout the processing procedure.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional processing methods are used with multiple containers, then each process step can be optimized, but the overall process becomes cumbersome and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple separate processing containers are merged into a single integrated portable apparatus with internal communication between the tissue retention volume, filtrate volume, and pellet well. This merging maintains the functional optimization of each processing step while eliminating the need for repeated material transfers between separate containers, thereby simplifying the overall process and reducing errors associated with multiple container handling.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apparatus enables efficient recovery of viable leuko stromal vascular cells with reduced contamination and cell loss, simplifying the processing of adipose and cancellous bone tissues by optimizing each processing step within the container.
Implementation Method 1
A filter is disposed within the internal containment volume with the tissue retention volume on one side of the filter and the filtrate volume on another side of the filter with the tissue retention volume and the filtrate volume being in fluid communication through the filter
Implementation Method 2
A suction port in fluid communication with the filtrate volume is configured to access the filtrate volume for suctioning material from the filtrate volume
Implementation Method 3
centrifuging digested material to prepare SVF in the form of a centrifuged pellet
Data Source
AI summary
A portable apparatus useful for collection and processing of human biological material, such as adipose or cancellous bone material, to prepare a concentrated product (e.g., stromal vascular fraction). The apparatus has a container with a containment volume with a tissue retention volume and a filtrate volume separated by a filter and with a pellet well for collecting concentrate product in the form of a pellet phase from centrifuge processing. The pellet well is accessible only from above when the apparatus is in an access orientation. Collected pellet phase material may be removed from the pellet well by direct aspiration, without suspending the material in a suspension liquid within the container. Access ports may be configured for access only from above the container. The apparatus may include a tissue collector disposed in the disuse retention volume to engage and collect collagen or other stringy tissue. A method of processing adipose tissue to concentrate leuko stromal vascular cells includes multi-step processing using a portable container.