Whole blood collection and processing method

Abstract

A method is disclosed for collecting and processing whole blood. Whole blood is collected at several remote donor sites and transported to a central blood-processing center, where information regarding demand for blood products is used to direct processing of whole blood into blood products. Whole blood is initially collected in collection bags unattached to satellite bags instead of commonly used multiple bag sets. When the determination is made at the blood processing center as to which blood products are to be made, the appropriate satellite bags and/or other system components are sterile docked to the blood-collection bag and the whole blood is processed. The use of blood-collection bags initially unattached to satellite bags eliminates waste and simplifies the transportation and processing of whole blood. Also disclosed are blood collection systems that remove leukocytes and collect whole blood into blood-collection bags unattached to satellite bags.

1 . A method for manufacturing blood products from whole blood comprising the steps: 
 collecting whole blood from a plurality of donors, using a single blood collection bag not connected to satellite blood collection bags for each donor, at one or more blood-collection sites, wherein said blood is collected by one or more technicians, and no determination is made at said one or more blood-collection sites as to what blood products are to be manufactured from said blood;    marking said blood-collection bags with identifying information;    transporting filled blood-collection bags from said one or more blood-collection sites to a manufacturing site;    compiling information regarding current demand for separate blood products which can be manufactured from the blood in said collection bags;    determining at said manufacturing site, using said information regarding current demand, what blood components are to be separated from blood in said blood-collection bags;    sterile docking said blood collection bags to blood-processing bags or appropriate satellite bags to contain said blood components to be separated; and    separating said required blood products from said blood.    
   
   
       2 . (canceled)  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said separation step comprises transferring blood from each said blood-collection bag to at least one blood-processing bag prior to separation of said blood products.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein said separation step comprises: 
 centrifuging said whole blood in a blood-processing bag to separate said blood into blood components; and    sterile-docking said blood-processing bag to a number of blood-product bags corresponding to the number of blood products it has been determined to manufacture from blood in said blood-collection bag, said sterile docking to occur prior to said centrifuging step or immediately after said centrifuging step.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said separation step comprises: 
 centrifuging said whole blood in a blood-collection or blood-processing bag to separate said blood into blood components; and thereafter    sterile-docking said blood-collection or blood-processing bag to a number of blood-product bags corresponding to the number of blood products it has been determined to manufacture from blood in said blood-collection bag.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said separation step comprises removing leukocytes from said whole blood prior to separation of other compartments.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said blood components are pumped into said blood-product bags.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said blood components are expressed into said blood-product bags.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said blood components are pumped into said blood-product bags.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said blood components are expressed into said blood-product bags.  
   
   
       11 . A blood collection system comprising: 
 a phlebotomy needle;    a first tube in fluid communication with said needle;    a whole blood leukocyte removal filter having an inlet in fluid communication with said first tube;    a second tube in fluid communication with an outlet of said filter; and    a blood-collection bag in fluid communication with said second tube, said blood collection bag being a single bag that is not connected to other bags.    
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising tubing for sterile docking said blood-collection bag to at least one further system component.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising an anticoagulant bag containing anticoagulant in fluid communication with either said first tube or said second tube.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the blood-collection bag contains anticoagulant.  
   
   
       15 . A method for manufacturing blood products from whole blood comprising the steps: 
 collecting whole blood from a donor in a single blood collection bag;    transporting said blood collection bag to a manufacturing site;    selecting a set of blood components into which said whole blood is to be separated;    providing a set of blood processing bags having bags corresponding to the selected blood components;    sterile docking said blood collection bag to said selected blood processing bag set; and    separating said selected blood components of said whole blood into said corresponding bags.    
   
   
       16 . A method for making a blood collecting system comprising: 
 providing a phlebotomy needle, first and second tubes, a leukocyte removal filter having an inlet and an outlet, a single blood-collection bag that is not connected to satellite bags for receiving separated blood products, and anticoagulant;    connecting said needle to an end of said first tube;    connecting another end of said first tube to the inlet of said filter;    connecting the outlet of said filter to an end of the second tube;    connecting another end of the second tube to said blood-collection bag; and    placing said anticoagulant in said blood-collection bag before connecting said blood-collection bag to said second tube;    wherein said method does not comprise connecting another bag to the foregoing components; and    wherein said collecting system allows leukocyte filtration to occur before blood is collected in the blood-collection bag.