Plasma Separation Device Using Capillary Filtration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current blood separation technologies, such as centrifugation, filtration, and magnetic separation, face challenges like high costs, complexity, loss of plasma in filters, and reduced efficiency due to ligand absence in pathological conditions, making them unsuitable for efficient plasma or serum separation from whole blood, especially in point-of-care settings.
Innovation Solution
A plasma separation device with a first portion for separating blood into cell and plasma fractions and a second portion for capturing the plasma fraction, utilizing hydrophobic and hydrophilic membranes with actuators to control flow and isolate a metered volume of plasma, allowing for capillary action and reagent interaction within a flexible container.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If centrifugation is used to separate cellular components from serum or plasma, then separation efficiency is improved (greater than 95%), but device cost and complexity increase, and multiple steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical centrifugation system with a passive capillary action-based filtration system. The membrane filter utilizes capillary forces to separate cellular components from plasma, eliminating the need for expensive centrifuges and complex mechanical operations while maintaining effective separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the separation function from complex mechanical systems and implements it through a simple membrane filter that uses inherent capillary action. This extraction allows the separation process to occur without requiring external power sources or complex device assemblies.
2Quantity of substance
If filtration is used to separate blood components, then volume of blood required is reduced, but significant amounts of plasma may be retained and lost in the filters
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the membrane filter parameters including pore size, hydrophobicity, and capillary dimensions to achieve optimal plasma retention. By carefully controlling these parameters, the system minimizes plasma loss while maintaining the benefit of reduced blood volume requirements.
3Ease of operation
If magnetic separation is used to separate cells, then physical barriers are eliminated making separation gentle, but multiple anti-ligands are required and efficiency is reduced due to ligand absence in pathological conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces magnetic separation with capillary action-based filtration. This substitution eliminates the need for multiple anti-ligands and magnetic fields, while maintaining gentle separation. The capillary forces provide consistent separation performance regardless of ligand presence on cell surfaces.
4Productivity
If centrifugation is used for blood separation, then concurrent processing of multiple samples is enabled, but equipment is expensive and requires highly trained personnel to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the separation function from complex centrifugal systems and implements it through simple capillary filtration. This allows concurrent processing of multiple samples using parallel filter channels while eliminating the need for expensive equipment and trained personnel operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements self-service separation where the membrane filter automatically separates blood components through capillary action without requiring external power, control systems, or trained operator intervention. Multiple samples can be processed concurrently through parallel self-service filter channels.
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
This solution simplifies fluid management by effectively isolating and dispensing a predetermined volume of plasma, enhancing the efficiency of blood separation and enabling reliable diagnostic testing with reduced reagent and sample volume requirements, suitable for point-of-care applications.
Implementation Method 1
The first portion is or comprises a hydrophobic separation membrane
Implementation Method 2
capillary action and reagent interaction within a flexible container
Data Source
AI summary
Devices and methods are presented in which a plasma separation device with a first and second portion separates a blood containing fluid. Most preferably, the first portion produces a cell fraction and a plasma fraction, and the second portion captures the plasma fraction. A first actuator then fluidly isolates a portion of the plasma fraction within the second portion, and a second actuator moves the isolated portion of the plasma fraction from the second portion.