Methods and Systems for Maintaining Patient Fluid Balance During an Extracorporeal Therapeutic Cell Treatment

Abstract

Methods and systems for maintaining patient fluid balance during an extracorporeal cell treatment are disclosed. The method includes minimizing the amount of saline or other fluid that is returned to the donor. Saline used during priming of the fluid circuit may be used to increase the volume of the collected cells to arrive at a treatment-ready product with a suitable hematocrit.

1 . A method for maintaining fluid balance in a patient undergoing a therapeutic cellular treatment comprising:
 a) priming a fluid flow path of a disposable fluid circuit mounted on a reusable hardware unit with a predetermined volume of a priming solution;   b) diverting at least a portion of said predetermined volume of said priming solution from the flow path of the fluid circuit;   c) collecting target cell population from a patient in fluid communication with said fluid circuit;   d) combining said at least a portion of said diverted priming solution with said target cell population to arrive at a treatment-ready product;   e) treating the treatment-ready product to arrive at a treated cellular product; and   f) administering the treated cellular product to said patient.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said priming solution comprises saline. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising combining a treating agent with said target cell population. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said target cell population comprises mononuclear cells. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said hardware unit comprises a centrifuge and said disposable fluid circuit comprises a separation chamber mounted on said centrifuge, said method further comprising introducing whole blood from said patient into said separation chamber, spinning said centrifuge to cause said whole blood to separate into blood components and removing said priming solution from said separation chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  comprising rotating said centrifuge to maintain an interface between said priming solution and a blood component. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  comprising detecting a location of said interface. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising pumping at least said priming solution out of said separation chamber by action of a pump on said hardware unit. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising:
 a) detecting a change in the location of the interface; and 
 b) continuing to pump said at least said priming solution out of said separation chamber for a predetermined period of time. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  comprising combining said priming solution pumped from said separation chamber with said collected target cell population. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  comprising collecting said priming solution in a container of said fluid circuit. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising concentrating said treated cell product prior to administering said treated cell product to said patient. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  comprising flowing said treated cell product through a portion of said fluid circuit prior to administering said treated cell product to said patient. 
     
     
         14 . A method for maintaining fluid balance in a patient undergoing a therapeutic cellular treatment comprising:
 a) priming a fluid flow path of a disposable fluid circuit mounted on a reusable hardware unit with a predetermined volume of a priming fluid;   b) collecting target cell population from a patient in fluid communication with said fluid circuit;   c) combining a solution different from said priming fluid with said target cell population to arrive at a treatment-ready product;   d) treating the treatment-ready product to arrive at a treated cellular product;   e) administering said priming solution to said patient; and   f) administering the treated cellular product to said patient.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said priming fluid comprises anticoagulated whole blood. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said solution different from said priming fluid comprises saline. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  comprising combining a solution with said target cells to arrive at a predetermined hematocrit. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  comprising combining said solution with said target cell population in a volume selected to arrive at said predetermined hematocrit. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising combining said target cell population with a predetermined volume of plasma to arrive at a treatment-ready product, said treatment ready product comprising target cell population, plasma and said priming or other solution.