Systems and methods for on line finishing of cellular blood products like platelets harvested for therapeutic purposes

Abstract

Blood processing systems and methods establish on line communication between a container and a source of blood containing leukocytes and platelets, such as a human donor. The systems and methods create a centrifugal field between the source of blood and the container that separates from the blood an unfinished suspension of platelets having a first physiologic characteristic different than the desired physiologic characteristic. The systems and methods pump the unfinished platelet suspension outside the centrifugal field through a finishing device. The finishing device changes the first physiologic characteristic to the desired physiological characteristic, thereby creating the finished platelet suspension. The systems and methods convey the finished platelet suspension from the finishing device directly into the container. The systems and methods function without interrupting the on line communication between the container and the source of blood.

I claim:  
     
         1 . An on line blood processing system for obtaining a finished platelet suspension having a desired physiologic characteristic comprising 
 a tubing system that establishes on line communication between a container and a source of blood containing leukocytes and platelets,    a device communicating with the tubing system that, without interrupting the on line communication between the container and the source of blood, creates a centrifugal field that separates from the blood an unfinished suspension of platelets having a first physiologic characteristic different than the desired physiologic characteristic,    a finishing device communicating with the tubing system outside the centrifugal field that, upon contact with the unfinished platelet suspension, changes the first physiologic characteristic to the desired physiological characteristic, thereby creating the finished platelet suspension,    a pump communicating with the tubing system that, without interrupting the on line communication between the container and the source of blood, pumps the unfinished platelet suspension outside the centrifugal field through the finishing device, and    tubing communicating with the tubing system that, without interrupting the on line communication between the container and the source of blood, conveys the finished platelet suspension from the finishing device directly into the container.