Patent ID: 8449488

Claim:
A method for collecting a blood component using a blood component collection apparatus which separates a predetermined blood component from blood collected from a donor so as to collect a predetermined blood component, the blood component collection apparatus comprising: a blood collection needle for collecting blood from the donor; a blood separator for separating the predetermined blood component from the blood collected from the donor by the blood collection needle; a blood component collecting bag for collecting the predetermined blood component separated by the blood separator; a blood line connecting the blood collection needle and an inflow port of the blood separator; an anticoagulant feeding line branched from a first branch portion provided in the blood line to feed an anticoagulant; an initial flow collecting line to collect an initial flow of the blood collected from the donor, the initial flow collecting line branching from a second branch portion provided in the blood line between the blood collection needle and the first branch portion; and supply means for supplying the anticoagulant to the blood collected by the blood collection needle; the method comprising: priming the blood line toward a blood separator side of the blood line through the anticoagulant feeding line and the first branch portion by supplying the anticoagulant through operation of the supply means to fill the blood line with the anticoagulant from the anticoagulant feeding line and the first branch portion toward a proximal side of the blood separator, the priming of the blood line being performed so that the anticoagulant in the first branch portion is prevented from being supplied to the second branch portion; and collecting, after said priming, an initial flow of the blood from the donor by way of the collection needle through the second branch portion and the initial flow collecting line during which air present in the blood line between the collection needle and the second branch portion is transferred to the initial flow collecting line, and after collecting the initial flow of the blood, air is intermediately present in the blood line between the first branch portion and the second branch portion to form an air layer between the anticoagulant and the initial flow of the blood collected from the donor.