Biological Fluid Filtration System
A biological fluid filtration system for scanning a biological fluid so as to filter potentially undesirable constituents from the biological fluid for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes. The biological fluid filtration system generally includes a fluid receiving device adapted to receive a biological fluid. A valve including an inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet is fluidly connected to the fluid receiving device. The biological fluid within the fluid receiving device is scanned by a scanner to produce scanned data relating to the biological fluid. A control unit in communication with the scanner and the valve receives the scanned data and controls the valve based on the scanned data. The valve is controlled to direct the biological fluid through either the first or second outlet of the valve depending upon the constituents of the biological fluid identified by the control unit.
1 . A biological fluid filtration system, comprising:
a fluid filtration device adapted to receive a biological fluid, wherein the fluid filtration device includes a first outlet and a second outlet;
wherein the fluid filtration device is configured to separate a first subset of constituents and a second subset of constituents from the biological fluid, wherein the fluid filtration device is configured to direct the first subset of constituents through the first outlet, and wherein the fluid filtration device is configured to direct the second subset of constituents through the second outlet; and
a drug infuser device fluidly connected to the second outlet of the fluid filtration device, wherein the drug infuser device is configured to infuse a drug within the second subset of constituents, and wherein the second outlet of the fluid filtration device is fluidly connected to a source of the biological fluid.
2 . The biological fluid filtration system of claim 1 , wherein the first subset of constituents includes an undesirable constituent.
3 . The biological fluid filtration system of claim 2 , wherein the second subset of constituents does not include the undesirable constituent.
4 . The biological fluid filtration system of claim 2 , wherein the undesirable constituent is comprised of a circulating tumor cell.
5 . The biological fluid filtration system of claim 1 , wherein the biological fluid is comprised of blood.
6 . The biological fluid filtration system of claim 1 , wherein the first subset of constituent consists of only one or more desirable constituents.
7 . The biological fluid filtration system of claim 6 , wherein the one or more desirable constituents are comprised of blood cells.
8 . The biological fluid filtration system of claim 1 , wherein the drug is comprised of a chemotherapeutic agent.
9 . The biological fluid filtration system of claim 1 , wherein the drug is comprised of an immunotherapy treatment.
10 . The biological fluid filtration system of claim 1 , further comprising a return channel fluidly connected between the second outlet of the fluid filtration device and the source of the biological fluid.
11 . The biological fluid filtration system of claim 10 , wherein the return channel is comprised of a catheter.
12 . The biological fluid filtration system of claim 10 , wherein the return channel is comprised of an indwelling line.
13 . The biological fluid filtration system of claim 1 , wherein the drug infuser device is comprised of a reservoir containing a volume of the drug.
14 . The biological fluid filtration system of claim 1 , wherein the drug infuser device includes a pump for pumping the drug.
15 . The biological fluid filtration system of claim 1 , wherein the drug infuser device includes an outlet valve for controlling a dosage of the drug.
16 . A method of filtering a biological fluid using the biological fluid filtration system of claim 1 , comprising the steps of:
directing the first subset of constituents through the first outlet of the fluid filtration device;
directing the second subset of constituents through the second outlet of the fluid filtration device;
infusing a drug within the second subset of constituents by the drug infuser device; and
returning the second subset of constituents to the source of the biological fluid.
17 . The biological fluid filtration system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid filtration device is comprised of:
a fluid receiving device adapted to receive the biological fluid;
a valve comprising an inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet, wherein the inlet of the valve is fluidly connected to the fluid receiving device, wherein the first outlet of the valve is fluidly connected to the first outlet of the fluid filtration device, and wherein the second outlet of the valve is fluidly connected to the second outlet of the fluid filtration device;
a scanner configured to scan the biological fluid within the fluid receiving device to produce a scanned data relating to the biological fluid within the fluid receiving device; and
a control unit in communication with the scanner and the valve, wherein the control unit is configured to receive the scanned data from the scanner, and wherein the control unit is configured to control the valve based on the scanned data from the scanner;
wherein the control unit is configured to control the valve to (a) direct the biological fluid through the first outlet of the fluid filtration device if the control unit determines that the scanned data indicates a presence of an undesirable constituent within the biological fluid or (b) direct the biological fluid through the second outlet if the control unit determines that the scanned data does not indicate the presence of the undesirable constituent within the biological fluid.
18 . A method of filtering a biological fluid using the biological fluid filtration system of claim 17 , comprising the steps of:
receiving the biological fluid by the fluid receiving device;
scanning the biological fluid within the fluid receiving device by the scanner;
directing the biological fluid through the first outlet of the valve if the control unit determines that the scanned data indicates the presence of the undesirable constituent within the biological fluid;
directing the biological fluid through the second outlet of the valve if the control unit determines that the scanned data does not indicate the presence of the undesirable constituent within the biological fluid; and
infusing a drug within the biological fluid by the drug infuser device if the control unit determines that the scanned data does not indicate the presence of the undesirable constituent.
19 . A biological fluid filtration system, comprising:
a fluid receiving device adapted to receive a biological fluid from a source of biological fluid, wherein the fluid receiving device includes an outlet;
a valve comprising an inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet, wherein the inlet of the valve is fluidly connected to the fluid receiving device;
a return channel fluidly connected between the second outlet of the valve and the source of the biological fluid;
a drug infuser device fluidly connected to the return channel, wherein the drug infuser device is configured to infuse a drug within the biological fluid;
a scanner configured to scan the biological fluid within the fluid receiving device to produce a scanned data relating to the biological fluid within the fluid receiving device; and
a control unit in communication with the scanner and the valve, wherein the control unit is configured to receive the scanned data from the scanner, and wherein the control unit is configured to control the valve based on the scanned data from the scanner;
wherein the control unit is configured to control the valve to (a) direct the biological fluid through the first outlet if the control unit determines that the scanned data indicates a presence of an undesirable constituent within the biological fluid or (b) direct the biological fluid through the second outlet if the control unit determines that the scanned data does not indicate the presence of the undesirable constituent within the biological fluid.
20 . A method of filtering a biological fluid using the biological fluid filtration system of claim 19 , comprising the steps of:
receiving the biological fluid by the fluid receiving device;
scanning the biological fluid within the fluid receiving device by the scanner;
directing the biological fluid through the first outlet if the control unit determines that the scanned data indicates the presence of the undesirable constituent within the biological fluid;
directing the biological fluid through the second outlet if the control unit determines that the scanned data does not indicate the presence of the undesirable constituent within the biological fluid; and
infusing a drug within the biological fluid by the drug infuser device if the control unit determines that the scanned data does not indicate the presence of the undesirable constituent.