Device for trapping an initial flow of blood

1. A diversion device comprising:

a housing having an inlet conduit and an outlet conduit, wherein the housing is configured to receive an initial flow of blood and a subsequent flow of blood through the inlet conduit, and wherein the housing is configured to allow the subsequent flow of blood to exit the diversion device through the outlet conduit;

a filter positioned within the housing adjacent to the outlet conduit, wherein the filter comprises a material that allows air, but not blood, to pass through it;

a diversion chamber defined by portions of the housing and the filter, wherein the diversion chamber is configured to receive and retain the initial flow of blood; and

an internal conduit positioned within the housing, the internal conduit including a tube having a first end extending through the filter and a second end extending into the diversion chamber, wherein the internal conduit is configured to permit the subsequent flow of fluid to exit the diversion device.

2. The diversion device of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the housing comprises a hydrophilic material.

3. The diversion device of claim 2 , wherein a portion of the internal conduit comprises a hydrophobic material.

4. The diversion device of claim 3 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the diversion chamber is larger than a cross-sectional area of the internal conduit.

5. The diversion device of claim 1 , wherein the first end of the internal conduit is a conduit formed in the filter, and wherein the first end of the tube is positioned within a tube receptacle formed in the filter.

6. The diversion device of claim 5 , wherein the housing comprises a housing shell and a housing base, wherein the housing shell contains the inlet conduit, wherein the housing base contains the outlet conduit, and wherein the filter is positioned within a filter receptacle formed in the housing base.

7. The diversion device of claim 6 , wherein the filter comprises a hydrophilic material.

8. The diversion device of claim 7 , wherein the hydrophilic material is carboxymethylcellulose (“CMC”).

9. The diversion device of claim 1 , wherein a vacuum pressure created by a collection vessel coupled to the diversion device draws the initial flow of blood into the diversion chamber.

10. The diversion device of claim 9 , wherein the internal conduit is configured to permit the subsequent flow of fluid to exit the diversion device using only the vacuum pressure created by the collection vessel coupled to the diversion device.

11. A blood collection kit comprising:

instructions to assemble a blood collection pathway from a patient to a collection vessel,

wherein the blood collection pathway comprises a first needle piercing the skin of the patient and the diversion device of claim 1 , and

wherein the collection vessel has a sub-atmospheric internal pressure that draws (a) an initial flow of blood from the patient through the first needle and into the diversion device and (b) a subsequent flow of blood through the first needle and the diversion device, respectively, and into the collection vessel, and

wherein the blood collection pathway is a closed system that prevents an initial flow of air through the diversion device of claim 1 from being vented into the atmosphere.

12. The blood collection kit of claim 11 , wherein the blood collection pathway further comprises a holder having a second needle piercing a cap of the collection vessel.

13. The blood collection kit of claim 12 , wherein the diversion device of claim 1 is integrated with the holder.

14. The blood collection kit of claim 12 , wherein the diversion device of claim 1 and the holder are separate units.

15. The blood collection kit of claim 11 , wherein the collection vessel contains one or more a bacterial growth media, an antibiotic scavenger, or a pH sensor.

16. A blood collection method comprising:

assembling a blood collection pathway from a patient to a collection vessel,

wherein the blood collection pathway comprises a first needle piercing the skin of the patient and a diversion device, and

wherein the collection vessel has a sub-atmospheric internal pressure that draws (a) an initial flow of blood from the patient through the first needle and into the diversion device and (b) a subsequent flow of blood through the first needle and the diversion device, respectively, and into the collection vessel, and

wherein the diversion device comprises:

a housing having an inlet conduit and an outlet conduit, wherein the housing is configured to receive an initial flow of blood and a subsequent flow of blood through the inlet conduit, and wherein the housing is configured to allow the subsequent flow of blood to exit the diversion device through the outlet conduit;

a filter positioned within the housing adjacent to the outlet conduit, wherein the filter comprises a material that allows air, but not blood, to pass through it;

a diversion chamber defined by portions of the housing and the filter, wherein the diversion chamber is configured to receive and retain the initial flow of blood; and

an internal conduit positioned within the housing the internal conduit including a tube having a first end forming a conduit through the filter and a second end extending into the diversion chamber, wherein the internal conduit is configured to permit the subsequent flow of fluid to exit the diversion device.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the blood collection pathway is a closed system that prevents an initial flow of air through the diversion device from being vented into the atmosphere.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the blood collection pathway further comprises a holder having a second needle piercing a cap of the collection vessel.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the diversion device is integrated with the holder.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the diversion device and the holder are separate units.