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EP0336483A1 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

A process and device for the separation of a body fluid from particulate materials in said fluid and testing kit for said separation and analysis of the body fluid.

Assignee: Primecare BV
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Filing: 1989-03-23
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-03-23
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Abstract

Abstract A process and device for the separation of a body fluid from particulate materials in said fluid to be used for a chemical analysis of the components present therein. Said process and device are in particular suitable for the separation of plasma from whole blood. Furthermore the present invention relates to a testing kit for the above mentioned separation and analysis purposes. Because of the simplicity of the present process and device as well as the testing kit a routine examination may be carried out not only in clinical laboratories but also by general practitioners.

Inventors

  • 👤 Dirk Marinus Koenhen
  • 👤 Johan Jan Scharstuhl

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-28 20:02
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N33/00; G01N33/48; G01N33/483; G01N33/487; G01N33/49; G01N33/491; B; B01; B01L; B01L3/00; B01L3/50; B01L3/502; B01L3/5023; G01N33/50; G01N33/52; G01N33/528; B01L2300/00; B01L2300/04; B01L2300/041; B01L2300/043; B01L2300/06; B01L2300/0681; B01L2300/08; B01L2300/0809; B01L2400/00; B01L2400/04; B01L2400/0403; B01L2400/0406; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T436/00; Y10T436/25; Y10T436/25375; Y10T436/255

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim 143 words
A process for the separation of a body fluid from particulate materials in said fluid, in particular plasma from whole blood, by contacting a small amount of said body fluid respectively whole blood with a membrane or composite of membranes, wherein the body fluid respec­tively the whole blood penetrates into the membrane or composite of membranes, wherein the particulate materials and non-penetrated body fluid respectively whole blood penetrates, whereas the penetrated fluid respectively plasma is used for analysis purposes, characterized in that one or more hydrophilic microporous membranes, at least one of which (the collector membrane) has a defined pore volume, is or are used, wherein the absorbed body fluid, freed from the particulate materials if any and having a defined amount is used for a semi-quantitative or quantitative, dry or wet chemical analysis for the determination of one or more components thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 143 words
A process for the separation of a body fluid from particulate materials in said fluid, in particular plasma from whole blood, by contacting a small amount of said body fluid respectively whole blood with a membrane or composite of membranes, wherein the body fluid respec­tively the whole blood penetrates into the membrane or composite of membranes, wherein the particulate materials and non-penetrated body fluid respectively whole blood penetrates, whereas the penetrated fluid respectively plasma is used for analysis purposes, characterized in that one or more hydrophilic microporous membranes, at least one of which (the collector membrane) has a defined pore volume, is or are used, wherein the absorbed body fluid, freed from the particulate materials if any and having a defined amount is used for a semi-quantitative or quantitative, dry or wet chemical analysis for the determination of one or more components thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 37 words
The process according to claim 1, characterized in that a hydrophilic microporous membrane is used, which essentially consists of a hydrophobic polymer and a hydro­philic polymer, which hydrophilic polymer is fixed in or on the polymer matrix.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 30 words
The process accordig to claim 2, characterized in that a membrane is used, wherein the hydrophobic polymer is polysulphone, polyether sulphone or polyetherimide, whereas the hydrophilic polymer is polyvinyl pyrrolidone.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 46 words
The process according to claims 1-3, characterized in that after applying said small amount of body fluid onto the membrane or composite of membranes that part of the collector membrane whereon/wherein the remaining particulate materials are present and whereon/­wherein the non-absorbed fluid is present, is separated.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 87 words
The process according to claims 1-3, characterized in that said small amount of body fluid respec­tively whole blood is applied to a first surface of another hydrophilic, microporous membrane (separator membrane), which with its opposite surface is in breakable contact with the collector membrane, one allows the body fluid respectively whole blood to penetrate into the collector membrane until an accurately determined part thereof is saturated, where­upon the separator membrane together with the non-absorbed fluid respectively whole blood and the remained particulate materials present thereon is removed.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 17 words
The process according to claims 1-5, characterized in that at least asymmetric hydrophilic micro­porous membrane is used.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 31 words
The process according to claim 6, characterized in that said small amount of body fluid res­pectively whole blood is applied to that side of the asymmetric membrane having the largest pores.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 31 words
The process according to claim 5-7, characterized in that an asymmetric separator membrane is used, which is in contact with the collector membrane with its surface having the smallest pore sizes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 31 words
The process according to claim 8, characterized in that an asymmetric collector membrane is used which is in contact with the separator membrane with its surface having the smallest pore size.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 34 words
The process according to claims 1-9, characterized in that the component(s) in the absorbed body fluid respectively plasma to be determined is (are) reacted with the reagent(s) applied in or on said collector membrane.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 30 words
The process according to claim 10, characterized in that the physical characteristics which have been changed due to the reaction are determined in a way which is known in itself.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 70 words
The process according to claims 1-10, characterized in that said collector membrane or an accurete­ly determined separatable part thereof, together with the therein absorbed body fluid respectively plasma is transferred into a suitable reagent solution, the fluid respectively plasma absorbed into the membrane or part of the membrane is washed out, whereas the physical characteristics changed due to the reaction are determined in a way which is known in itself.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 30 words
The process for the chemical analysis of com­ponents of whole blood according to claims 1-12, cha­racterized in that a hydrophilic microporous membrane is used containing coagulation and/or haemolysis inhibiting substances.
Claim 15
Independent Claim 69 words
A device for the separation of a body fluid from particulate materials in said fluid, in particular plasma from whole blood, to be used for the chemical analysis comprising an inert solid support to which a membrane or composite of membranes is attached, characterized in that said device is provided with one or more hydrophilic micro­porous membranes from which at least one (collector mem­brane) has a defined pore volume.
Claim 16
Independent Claim 69 words
A device for the separation of a body fluid from particulate materials in said fluid, in particular plasma from whole blood, to be used for the chemical analysis comprising an inert solid support to which a membrane or composite of membranes is attached, characterized in that said device is provided with one or more hydrophilic micro­porous membranes from which at least one (collector mem­brane) has a defined pore volume.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 35 words
Device according to claim 14, cha­racterized in that each of the hydrophilic microporous membranes essentially consists of a hydrophobic polymer and a hydrophilic polymer, which hydrophilic polymer is fixed in or onto the polymer matrix.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 24 words
Device according to claim 15, cha­racterized in that said hydrophobic polymer is polysulphone, polyether sulphone or polyetherimide, whereas the hydro­philic polymer is polyvinyl pyrrolidone.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 31 words
Device according to claims 14-16, cha­racterized in that said device besides said collector membrane also comprises another hydrophilic microporous membrane (separator membrane), which is in breakable contact with said collector membrane.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 18 words
Device according to claims 14-17, cha­racterized in that said device is provided with an asymmetric hydrophilic microporous membrane.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 52 words
Device according to claim 18, cha­racterized in that the pore size of the asymmetric membrane on its surface having the largest pores is in the range of 10 µm to 1 mm, whereas the pore size at the surface having the smallest pores is in the range of 0.2 to 5 µm.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 30 words
Device according to claims 17-19, cha­racterized in that the separator membrane is assymmetric and is in contact with the collector membrane by means of its surface having the smallest pores.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 29 words
Device according to claim 20, cha­racterized in that said collector membrane is also asymmetric and is in contact with said separator membrane by its surface having the smallest pores.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 17 words
Device according to claims 14-21, cha­racterized in that said collector membrane has an accurately determined removable part.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 32 words
Device according to claims 14-22, cha­racterized in that said collector membrane or the accurate­ly determined removable part thereof is attached onto an inert means which is removable from the inert solid support.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 26 words
Device according to claims 23, cha­racterized in that said removable means, said collector mem­brane and said separator membrane if any clamps onto the inert solid support.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 29 words
Device for the separation respectively the chemical analysis of whole blood according to claims 14-25, characterized in that said hydrophilic microporous membrane contains a coagulation or haemolysis inhibiting substance.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 74 words
Testing kit for the separation of a body fluid from particulate materials in said fluid, in parti­cular plasma from whole blood and for the chemical analysis for the components therein, characterized in that said testing kit is provided with one or more devices according to claims 14-25, one or more solid or liquid reagents contained in one or more suitable containers and optionally one or more solvents contained in one or more separate containers.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 31 words
Testing kit according to claim 26, further characterized in that it is provided with a suitably packed isotonic solution, which is present in a saturated or unsaturated state in a tissue.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3791933A Cited
EP0082433A2 Cited
EP0154839A2 Cited
EP0175990A2 Cited
EP0217403A2 Cited
EP0261734A1 Cited

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