Microorganism Separation Device with Density Cushion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current diagnostic methods for detecting pathogenic microorganisms in blood cultures are time-consuming, often taking several days, and face challenges with interference from blood components, leading to inaccurate results and safety hazards during sample handling.
Innovation Solution
A separation device with a cylindrical design featuring a wide upper portion and narrow lower portion, including an optical window for spectroscopic interrogation, and a density cushion for centrifugal separation, allowing for safe and efficient isolation of microorganisms from blood culture broths, reducing contamination and labor intensity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If traditional phenotypic ID tests are used with microorganisms from positive blood culture bottles, then identification speed is improved, but result accuracy deteriorates due to interference from blood components and culture media
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts microorganisms from the complex blood culture broth matrix through centrifugal separation. The separation device isolates microbial cells from interfering substances including blood components, culture media, and other contaminants, providing a clean sample suitable for accurate phenotypic identification while maintaining rapid processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The identification process is segmented into distinct stages: (1) centrifugal separation of microorganisms from broth, (2) washing of separated cells, and (3) phenotypic testing. This segmentation allows each step to be optimized independently, achieving both speed and accuracy.
2Reliability
If two-step differential centrifugation and serum separator tube methods are used to recover microorganisms, then separation is achieved, but labor intensity and safety risks increase due to aerosol exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines separation, washing, and concentration steps into a single centrifugal operation using a specialized separation device. The device integrates a separation chamber, washing chamber, and pellet retention mechanism that work together in one centrifugation cycle, eliminating multiple manual操作步骤 and reducing aerosol generation risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a density cushion as an intermediary substance during centrifugal separation. This cushion layer facilitates clean separation of microorganisms from blood components and culture media, improving separation effectiveness while requiring minimal manual intervention.
3Productivity
If microorganisms are used directly from positive blood culture bottles without separation, then processing time is reduced, but test reliability deteriorates due to contaminating substances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary centrifugal separation and washing of microorganisms before phenotypic identification. This preliminary action removes interfering substances in advance, ensuring that subsequent identification tests are performed on clean, contaminant-free samples, thereby maintaining both speed and reliability.
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
Enables rapid and accurate identification of microorganisms within hours, improving clinical relevance and safety by providing a sealed, hermetically contained environment for handling potentially infectious agents.
Implementation Method 1
The most commonly employed methods for recovering microorganisms directly from positive blood culture broth are two-step differential centrifugation and centrifugation in a serum separator tube
Implementation Method 2
Optical spectroscopy methods, such as intrinsic fluorescence (IF), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), or Raman spectroscopy
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed to a separation device or container that can be used in the separation, isolation or pelleting of microorganisms from a test samples known to contain or suspected of containing said microorganisms. Subsequently, the separated, isolated or pelleted microorganism sample can undergo one or more interrogation steps to provide measurements useful for the characterization and/or identification of microorganism. In one aspect of the present invention, the interrogation steps can occur in situ in the separation device or container described herein.