Patent ID: 7901584

Claim:
A method for concentrating plasma by removing water without significantly denaturing the fibrinogen in the plasma, comprising: positioning a plurality of concentrator gel beads in a concentrator chamber of the plasma concentrator; positioning a sample volume of plasma in the concentrator chamber of the plasma concentrator; moving an actuator stem having a lower agitator end to agitate the sample volume of plasma and the concentrator gel beads in the concentrator chamber with agitator blades extending outwardly from the lower agitator end being positioned in the concentrator chamber; concentrating the plasma by removing at least a portion of water from the sample volume of plasma to the concentrator gel beads to form a concentrated plasma volume; and removing the concentrated plasma volume through a filter in a lower opening of the concentrator chamber; wherein the concentrator chamber includes a top with an upper opening through which an upper end of the actuator stem extends.