Wearable hemoperfusion device

Abstract

The present technology relates to methods and devices for the removal of toxins and pathogens from infected blood of patients. In particular, devices are designed to be portable, wearable, disposable and self-contained extracorporeal devices that can be easily assembled from a kit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A ex vivo method for reducing a toxin and/or pathogen in the blood of an individual infected with the toxin and/or pathogen, the method comprising:
 a) passing blood from the individual through a device comprising an adsorption media, wherein the adsorption media and toxins and/or pathogens in the blood form an adhering complex;   b) separating the resulting blood from the adhering complex to produce blood with a reduced level of the toxin and/or pathogen; and   c) infusing the blood with the reduced level of the toxin and/or pathogen into the individual.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the blood is selected from the group consisting of whole blood, serum and plasma. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the blood is whole blood. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adsorption media is a solid substrate of high surface area having at least one polysaccharide adsorbent. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the least one polysaccharide adsorbent is selected from the group consisting of heparin, heparan sulfate, hyaluronic acid, sialic acid, carbohydrates with mannose sequences, chitosan, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the least one polysaccharide adsorbent is heparin. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the solid substrate comprises a plurality of rigid polymer bead. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the rigid polymer bead is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, polymethylmethacrylate, polyethylene or co-polymers of ethylene and other monomers, polyethylene imine, polypropylene, and polyisobutylene. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the solid substrate comprises one or a plurality of hollow fibers. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the device is a blood bag. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the toxin in the blood is reduced by about 10% to about 100%. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pathogen in the blood is reduced by about 10% to about 100%. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the toxin is selected from the group consisting of  Clostridium botulinum  toxin, ricin toxin from  Ricinus communis , epsilon toxin of  Clostridium perfringens , Shiga toxin, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pathogen is selected from the group consisting of Ebola virus, Marburg virus, Lassa virus, Junin virus, Machupo virus, Guanarito virus, Chapare virus, Lugo virus, Dengue virus, Garis virus, Ilesha virus, Rift Valley Fever virus, Kyasanur Forest disease virus, Yellow Fever virus, Seoul virus, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus, Scandinavian nephropathia epidemica virus, hantavirus, smallpox virus,  Bacillus anthracis, Yersinia pestis, Francisella tularenis , and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein passing blood from the individual is via a single-needle venous line by using a standard blood bag as the device with an adsorbent media filter inserted into the blood tubing. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein once the blood bag fills it is raised above the individual, with blood flowing back through the standard blood bag with the adsorbent media filter for a second treatment and infusing the blood with the reduced level of the toxin and/or pathogen into the individual. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising repeating the process several times as needed. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein flow through the device uses gravity and/or blood pressure. 
     
     
         19 . A ex vivo method for reducing a toxin and/or pathogen in the blood of an individual infected with the toxin and/or pathogen, the method comprising:
 a) passing blood from the individual through a blood bag comprising an adsorption media, wherein the adsorption media and toxins and/or pathogens in the blood form an adhering complex;   b) separating the resulting blood from the adhering complex to produce blood with a reduced level of the toxin and/or pathogen; and   c) infusing the blood with the reduced level of the toxin and/or pathogen into the individual.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein passing blood from the individual is via a single-needle venous line blood tubing to the blood bag with an adsorbent media filter inserted into the blood tubing.