Internal blood collection

Abstract

Methods and devices to be used in connection with collection and analyzing of blood. A device which is capable of receiving and holding blood is introduced into the interior of a body cavity where blood is present, and after the device remains in the body cavity for a time sufficient to receive and hold blood, the device is removed and at least part of the blood removed therewith is tested. The device includes an outer holder formed with an entrance through which blood may flow freely into the interior of the holder, and within the holder is a structure such as a body of filamentary material capable of retaining blood in the interior of the holder. This device may be incorporated into a tampon introduced into the vagina for collecting blood during the menstrual cycle.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. In a method for collecting and analyzing the blood of a living being, the steps of introducing into a body of a living being whose blood is to be analyzed, at a preexisting, accessible cavity of the body which at least temporarily contains blood of the living being, a device having an interior capable of receiving and holding blood which is present in the cavity when the entire device is introduced into and remains wholly within the cavity, .[.said device having a blood preservative preliminarily situated in its interior prior to introduction of the device into the body cavity for preserving blood which is received and held in the interior of the device,.]. said device being introduced into said cavity at a time which will assure presence of the device in the cavity when blood is present therein, removing the latter device from the body cavity after the device has remained therein for a period of time sufficient to receive and hold blood of the living being, so that blood is removed with the device, .Iadd.said blood being contacted with a blood preservative for preserving the blood until the same can be tested, .Iaddend.and testing at least part of the blood thus removed from the body cavity with the device. 
     
     
       2. In a method as recited in claim 1 and wherein the living being is a human being. 
     
     
       3. In a method as recited in claim 2 and wherein the human being is a female human being and the cavity is an internal cavity such as the vagina in which blood is present at least periodically as a result of natural functioning of a healthy being. 
     
     
       4. In a method as recited in claim 1 and wherein the cavity into which the device is inserted is a cavity in which blood is present as the result of a normally non-recurring event such as an illness, an operation, or the like. 
     
     
       5. For use in the collection of blood in a body cavity, a tampon means and at least one device carried by said tampon means for receiving and holding blood which is accessible in the device upon removal of the tampon means from the body cavity, said device including an outer holder formed with an entrance means through which blood can flow freely into the interior of the holder and retaining means situated within and held by the holder for retaining blood in the latter. 
     
     
       6. The combination of claim 5 and wherein said retaining means is in the form of a body of filamentary material. 
     
     
       7. The combination of claim 6 and wherein the filamentary material is cotton. 
     
     
       8. The combination of claim 6 and wherein the filamentary material includes fine gold wire. 
     
     
       9. The combination of claim 5 and wherein said holder is in the form of a wall formed with a plurality of openings which constitute said entrance means and through which blood can enter into the interior of the holder. 
     
     
       10. The combination of claim 5 and wherein said device is at least partially embedded in said tampon means. 
     
     
       11. The combination of claim 10 and wherein said device is entirely embedded within the tampon means for receiving only blood which has first travelled through part of the tampon means. 
     
     
       12. For use in the collection of blood in a body cavity, a tampon means and at least one device having a blood receiving interior carried by said tampon means for receiving and holding blood which is accessible in the device upon removal of the tampon means from the body cavity, said device including a blood preservative in said interior. 
     
     
       13. The combination of claim 12 and wherein the blood preservative is citric acid. .Iadd. 14. In a method as recited in claim 1 and wherein said blood preservative is preliminarily situated in the interior of said device prior to introduction thereof into the body cavity..Iaddend.