Integrated system for on-site cell acquisition, processing, and delivery

Abstract

Numerous embodiments of a system and method for treating cardiac tissue are described. In one embodiment, bone marrow cells are extracted from a patient. The cells are then processed to isolate mononuclear cells, which can then be delivered back near the cardiac tissue of the patient.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 extracting bone marrow from a patient;   processing said bone marrow to isolate mononuclear cells within a closed system; and   delivering said mononuclear cells back to said patient, wherein said extracting, processing, and delivering are continuous within a treatment period.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein extracting further comprises aspirating said bone marrow with an aspiration needle. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein processing further comprises separating said mononuclear cells from said bone marrow via a centrifugal process. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein processing further comprises washing said mononuclear cells to remove contaminants. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein processing further comprises separating said mononuclear cells via an affinity chromatography process. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein processing further comprises covalently modifying an affinity chromatography column with a ligand having receptors for said mononuclear cells. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein delivering further comprises advancing a catheter near cardiac tissue of said patient. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein delivering further comprises advancing a percutaneous subxiphoid endoscopy device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein separating further comprises:
 providing a cartridge having a plurality of tubes disposed therein, an interior surface of each tube having ligands specific to mononuclear cells, said ligands modified with a di-functional cross-linking agent;   passing bone marrow through the plurality of tubes;   rinsing said plurality of tubes to remove unattached cells; and   applying a decoupling agent through said plurality of tubes to separate said mononuclear cells.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein providing further comprises treating said plurality of tubes with dialysate. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein providing further comprises pumping dialysate in a direction opposite to said passing of bone marrow through said plurality of tubes. 
     
     
         12 . A system, comprising:
 a cell processing device comprising a first syringe coupled to a second syringe and a rotating mechanism coupled to the first syringe;   a first container and a second container, the first container and the second container coupled to the cell processing device with a network of tubes; and   a tracking device coupled to the cell processing device.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the tracking device comprises a bar-code labeling system. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the rotating mechanism comprises a centrifugal mechanism.