Closed Filtration Tissue Processing for Sterile Adipose Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for processing adipose tissue for autologous use are inefficient, fail to optimally remove cell fragments, cause adipocyte breakage, and lose important biological components, while also being operator-dependent and lacking sterility.
Innovation Solution
A closed sterile system for processing adipose tissue using a tubing system with a tissue processing chamber containing an expandable bag, filters, and a method that includes administering the tissue and physiological solution, shaking, and separating components without centrifugation or enzymes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If centrifugation and mechanical compression methods are used to separate adipose tissue components, then separation efficiency is improved, but adipocyte breakage increases and cell fragments are not optimally removed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces centrifugal force and mechanical compression with a closed-system filtration approach using progressively smaller pore size filters. The tissue is pushed through filters with decreasing pore sizes (e.g., 700 μm to 30 μm) to achieve separation without the high-stress mechanical forces that cause cell breakage, thereby maintaining adipocyte integrity while effectively removing cell fragments.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs a series of porous filters with progressively smaller pore sizes to separate tissue components. The filters are arranged in sequence, allowing larger intact adipocytes to pass through while trapping smaller cell fragments and debris, achieving optimal separation without mechanical damage to the adipocytes.
2Productivity
If multi-step mechanical processing is used to fragment adipose tissue, then tissue fragmentation is achieved, but the system is not closed and sterility is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions (fragmentation, filtration, and sterile containment) into a single integrated closed system. The entire processing sequence occurs within a sealed environment where tissue is pushed through progressively smaller filters without exposure to the external environment, maintaining sterility while achieving complete tissue fragmentation.
Solution Approach 2:
The closed system acts as an intermediary barrier that allows processing to occur without direct exposure to non-sterile environments. The system includes sealed connections between the injection port, filters, and collection chamber, preventing contamination while enabling the multi-step fragmentation process.
3Ease of operation
If conventional open processing systems are used, then operator-dependent mechanical compression is possible, but the process is not reproducible and important biological components are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system is designed to perform the fragmentation and separation process automatically once the tissue is loaded. The operator simply injects the tissue through the port, and the pre-arranged filter sequence automatically performs the separation without requiring operator-dependent compression or manipulation, ensuring reproducible results.
Solution Approach 2:
The filters are pre-arranged in a specific sequence with progressively smaller pore sizes before the tissue is introduced. This preliminary arrangement of the filtration pathway eliminates the need for operator judgment or adjustment during processing, ensuring consistent and reproducible fragmentation and separation outcomes.
4Productivity
If centrifugation is used to separate tissue components, then separation is achieved, but significant loss of important biological components occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a series of porous filters with progressively smaller pore sizes to separate tissue components based on size alone, without the high-g forces of centrifugation. This gentle filtration approach preserves biological components such as growth factors and cytokines that would otherwise be lost or degraded during centrifugal processing.
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 system effectively reduces adipose clusters, preserves the vascular-stromal niche, and maintains MUSE cell viability, providing a sterile, purified adipose tissue product suitable for autologous use.
Implementation Method 1
The expandable bag is constructed from an elastic material, such that the bag expands when fluid is introduced into the bag and passively contracts when the fluid is removed from the bag, the expandable bag applies radial compression forces on the fluids inside thereby affording a controllable fluid flow rate out of the chamber
Implementation Method 2
at least one filter
Implementation Method 3
separating components without centrifugation or enzymes
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention pertains to systems and methods of processing a biological tissue from a subject. Particularly, the invention provides a tissue processing system for processing an extracted biological tissue, comprising tissue processing chamber comprising an expandable bag and configured for cleaning and separation of components in the extracted tissue; at least one inlet, wherein the at least one inlet is for administering an extracted biological tissue into the tissue processing chamber; and a waste bag for collection of water-soluble components separated from the extracted tissue.