Patent ID: 6743192
Filing Date: 2004-06-01
Classification: A61M,B04B

Abstract:
An apheresis apparatus comprising:a centrifuge for separating whole blood into a lower density component, an intermediate density component and a higher density component, said centrifuge having an inlet port and an outlet port; a first container in selective fluid communication with said inlet port and said outlet port and connected to collect the lower density component from said outlet port and return the lower density component through said inlet port to said centrifuge; a first pump operated for collecting whole blood through said inlet port into said centrifuge; a second pump operated for supplying the lower density component from said first container to the whole blood collected by said first pump to said centrifuge; and a controller having a computer readable medium encoded to perform a method, the method comprising: calculating a process volume of whole blood per cycle in a multiple cycle process of said centrifuge as a function of at least one characteristic associated with the whole blood; and variably controlling at least one of said centrifuge and said second pump by increasing or decreasing speed of rotation of the centrifuge and/or increasing or decreasing the amount of the lower density component supplied by the second pump to attain the process volume per cycle of whole blood.