EP0141632A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Optical assay for stored human platelets
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1984-10-29
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-10-29
Abstract
Abstract The viability of a pack of stored blood platelets is monitored by gripping the pack between two plates (6) and (7) which are closed to pinch together the walls of the bag (10) along an L-shaped seal (14), leaving a channel (17), squeezing a part (15) of the bag by means of a reciprocating plunger (19), so that the platelets continually flow to and fro between the part (15) and the part (16), through the channel (17), and passing a beam of light from an LED (27) through the channel (17), to a photoresistor (29). The AC signal from the photoresistor corresponds to the fluctuations in the intensity of the light passing through the channel (17) and the amplitude of this signal is representative of the viability, and hence the clinical acceptability, of the platelets.
Inventors
- 👤 Brian John Bellhouse
- 👤 John William Stairman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 15:40
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N21/00; G01N21/17; G01N21/47; G01N21/49; G01N21/51; G01N15/00; G01N15/01; G01N2015/018; G01N15/02; G01N15/0205; G01N15/0211; G01N2015/0222; G01N21/01; G01N21/03; G01N2021/0364
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
82 words
A method of monitoring non-invasively the viability of a pack of stored blood platelets, the method comprising agitating the pack (10), irradiating the pack with a beam of light, and detecting the amplitude of the fluctuations in the intensity of light scattered from the platelets in a particular direction and comparing this with a datum related to the amplitude of the fluctuations in the intensity of light scattered in the same direction from a similar pack of fresh platelets under similar conditions.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
82 words
A method of monitoring non-invasively the viability of a pack of stored blood platelets, the method comprising agitating the pack (10), irradiating the pack with a beam of light, and detecting the amplitude of the fluctuations in the intensity of light scattered from the platelets in a particular direction and comparing this with a datum related to the amplitude of the fluctuations in the intensity of light scattered in the same direction from a similar pack of fresh platelets under similar conditions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method according to claim 1, in which the pack is agitated to cause the platelets to flow continually to and fro across a zone (17) through which the pack is irradiated with the light beam.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
61 words
A method according to claim 2, in which the pack comprises a bag (10) with two major opposed walls which are pinched together to divide the interior of the bag into two parts (15,16) connected by a channel (17) constituting the zone; and one of the parts (15) is periodically squeezed to cause the to and fro flow through the channel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
261 words
A blood platelet monitoring assembly for carrying out the method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the assembly comprising at least one translucent pack (10) of blood platelets; means for agitating the pack (20); a light source (27) for irradiating the pack, while the pack is being agitated, with a beam of light; a photoelectric element (29) for collecting light scattered from the pack in a particular direction; and means (31) responsive to an AC component, corresponding to within this range 300 to 700. The walls of the bag 10 are conventionally of calendered plastics which is translucent but the wall surfaces are rough and may produce unwanted scattering of the light beam, even to the point of obscuring the scattering by the platelets. The plasma wets the inner surfaces of the bag walls but the problem remains at the outer wall surfaces. To overcome this and provide an optically clear window through each bag wall, a patch of optically clear tape 35 with a coating of an optically clear adhesive is stuck on the outer surface of each bag wall in alignment with the channel 17. A bank of illustrated devices may be set up alongside one another and driven via a common camshaft 24, and may be coupled to a common signal processor and display. The device or devices simultaneously provide for storage of one or more packs of platelets and an immediate indication of the viability of the platelets. fluctuations in the intensity of the scattered light, in the output signal from the photoelectric element.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
61 words
A device for use in the method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the device comprising two surfaces (6,7) between which a pack of platelets under test is, in use, gripped, one of the surfaces (6) incorporating a light source (27), and the other (7) incorporating, in a position opposite to the light source, a photoelectric element (29).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A device according to claim 5, in which the surfaces are the inner faces of two hinged jaws (6,7) of the device.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
82 words
A device according to claim 5 or claim 6, in which the two surfaces (6,7) are shaped to pinch together opposed walls of the pack (10) to divide the interior of the pack into two parts (15,16) connected by a channel (17) situated between the light source (27) and the photoelectric element (29); and means (20) are provided for periodically squeezing one of the parts to cause the platelets in the pack to flow, in use, to and fro through the channel.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
41 words
A device according to any one of claims 5 to 7, incorporating means (31) responsive to an AC component, corresponding to fluctuations in the intensity of light collected by the photoelectric element (29), in the output signal from the photoelectric element.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
An assembly or device according to claim 4 or claim 8, in which the means (31) responsive to the AC component incorporates an intelligent circuit which stores the datum signal and provides a continuous display (33,34) representing the relationship of the current signal to the datum.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
An assembly or device according to claim 9, comprising one or more lights (33,34), the illumination of which is representative of the relationship.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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