Blood bag system and blood treatment method

Abstract

A blood bag system includes: a first bag in which blood containing multiple components is stored; a second bag in which a relative medium-density component is stored; a third bag in which a relative low-density component is stored; a first tube through which the relative low-density component and the relative medium-density component are transported from the first bag to the second bag; and a second tube through which the relative low-density component is transported from the first bag to the third bag. A blood treatment method involves: centrifuging blood containing multiple components in a first bag, transporting a low-density component from the first bag to a third bag through a first tube and transporting a relative medium-density component from the first bag to the second bag through the first tube.

1 . A blood bag system comprising:
 a first bag possessing an interior surrounded configured to store blood containing a plurality of components including a relative medium-density component and a relative low-density component, the first bag possessing a top, an oppositely disposed bottom, and two oppositely positioned sides each extending between the top and the bottom, the top of the first bag including a through opening which opens to the interior of the first bag;   a second bag possessing an interior configured to store the relative medium-density component obtained by centrifugation of the blood in the first bag, the second bag including an inlet in fluid communication with the interior of the second bag and an outlet in fluid communication with the interior of the second bag;   a third bag possessing an interior configured to store the relative low-density component obtained by centrifugation of the blood in the first bag;   a first tube possessing a first end connected to the top of the first bag so that the first tube extends through the top of the first bag and is fluidly communicable with the interior of the first bag and possessing a second end connected to the inlet of the second bag to permit the relative low-density component and the relative medium-density component in the interior of the first bag to be transported to the interior of the second bag; and   a second tube possessing a first end connected to the outlet of the second bag and a second end connected to the third bag to permit the relative low-density component in the interior of the first bag to be transported to the interior of the third bag by way of the first tube and the second bag.   
     
     
         2 . The blood bag system according to  claim 1 , wherein the outlet of the second bag which communicates with the interior of the second bag possesses a cross-sectional area smaller than a cross-sectional area of the inlet of the second bag which communicates with the interior of the second bag. 
     
     
         3 . The blood bag system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first clamp positioned at an intermediate part of the first tube to open and close the first tube; and   a second clamp positioned at an intermediate part of the second tube to open and close the second tube.   
     
     
         4 . The blood bag system according to  claim 1 , wherein the blood also includes a relative high-density component, and further comprising:
 a filter configured to remove predetermined cells;   a third tube possessing a first end connected to the top of the first bag so that the third tube extends through the top of the first bag and is in fluid communication with the interior of the first bag, and also possessing a second end connected to and in fluid communication with the filter so that the relative high-density component is transported from the first bag to the filter by way of the third tube.   
     
     
         5 . The blood bag system according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a fourth bag possessing an interior configured to store the relative high-density component obtained by centrifugation of the blood in the first bag; and   a fourth tube through which an outlet of the filter and the fourth bag are connected and through which the relative high-density component is transported from the filter to the fourth bag.   
     
     
         6 . The blood bag system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first end of the first tube is connected to the top of the first bag by way of a breakable sealing member, the breakable sealing member being configured to normally prevent liquid flow from the interior of the first bag through the first tube and to permit liquid flow from the interior of the first bag through the first tube upon breaking the seal member. 
     
     
         7 . A blood bag system comprising:
 a first bag possessing an interior configured to store blood containing a plurality of components including a relative medium-density component and a relative low-density component;   a second bag possessing an interior configured to store the relative medium-density component obtained by centrifugation of the blood in the first bag;   a third bag possessing an interior configured to store the relative low-density component obtained by centrifugation of the blood in the first bag;   a first tube through which an upper portion of the first bag and an inlet of the second bag are connected and through which the relative low-density component and the relative medium-density component are transported from the first bag to the second bag; and   a second tube through which an outlet of the second bag and the third bag are connected and through which the relative low-density component is transported from the first bag to the third bag by way of the first tube and the second bag.   
     
     
         8 . The blood bag system according to  claim 7 , wherein the outlet of the second bag which communicates with the interior of the second bag possesses a cross-sectional area smaller than a cross-sectional area of the inlet of the second bag which communicates with the interior of the second bag. 
     
     
         9 . The blood bag system according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a first clamp positioned at an intermediate part of the first tube to open and close the first tube; and   a second clamp positioned at an intermediate part of the second tube to open and close the second tube.   
     
     
         10 . The blood bag system according to  claim 7 , wherein the blood also includes a relative high-density component, and further comprising:
 a fourth bag possessing an interior configured to store the relative high-density component obtained by centrifugation of the blood in the first bag;   a filter disposed between the first bag and the fourth bag and configured to remove predetermined cells;   a third tube through which an upper portion of the first bag and an inlet of the filter are connected and through which the high-density component is transported from the first bag to the filter; and   a fourth tube through which an outlet of the filter and the fourth bag are connected and through which the high-density component is transported from the filter to the fourth bag.   
     
     
         11 . The blood bag system according to  claim 7 , wherein the blood containing the plurality of components is whole blood, and
 the relative low-density component, the medium-density component and the high-density component are plasma, buffy coat and concentrated red cells, respectively.   
     
     
         12 . A blood treatment method comprising:
 centrifuging blood containing a plurality of components and located in a first bag to separate the blood into a relative low-density component, a relative medium-density component and a relative high-density component in the first bag;   transporting the relative low-density component from the first bag to a third bag through a first tube which opens into an upper portion of the first bag by pressing the first bag; and   transporting the relative medium-density component from the first bag to a second bag provided fluidly between the first bag and the third bag through the first tube by pressing the first bag.   
     
     
         13 . The blood treatment method according to  claim 12 , wherein:
 the pressing of the first bag to transport the relative low-density component and the relative medium-density component causes the relative low-density component to first flow out of the first bag through the first tube while the relative medium-density component remains in the first bag;   the relative low-density component is transported to the third bag by first passing through the first tube, next passing through the second bag and then next passing through a second tube connected to an outlet of the second bag; and   the relative medium-density component is transported to the second bag through the first tube only after the relative low-density component has been transported to the second bag.   
     
     
         14 . The blood treatment method according to  claim 13 , further comprising detecting, during the transporting of the relative low-density component and the medium-density component through the first tube from the first bag to the second bag, whether the component in the first tube is the relative low-density component or the relative medium-density component, and closing the second tube when it is detected that the component in the first tube is the relative medium-density component. 
     
     
         15 . The blood treatment method according to  claim 12 , further comprising closing the first tube to stop the transport of the relative low-density component and the relative medium-density component when the first bag has been pressed by a predetermined amount. 
     
     
         16 . The blood treatment method according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 transporting, after the transporting of the relative low-density component to the third bag and the transporting of the relative medium-density component to the second bag, the relative high-density component remaining in the first bag from the first bag to a filter by which predetermined cells are removed, through a third tube connected to an upper portion of the first bag, and transporting the relative high-density component passed through the filter from the filter to a fourth bag.   
     
     
         17 . The blood treatment method according to  claim 12 , wherein
 the blood containing the plurality of components is whole blood, and   the relative low-density component, the relative medium-density component and the relative high-density component are plasma, buffy coat and concentrated red cells, respectively.