Systems and methods of delivering a dilated slurry to a patient
View Patent ↗A system for delivering a cell-slurry to a patient may include a fluid, cells that are non-dissolvable or immiscible in the fluid, thereby forming the cell-slurry, a syringe adapted to contain the cell-slurry and a supernate of the cell-slurry, the syringe defining a first end having an outlet through which the cell-slurry is delivered to the patient, a fluidizing system associated with the syringe and adapted to effect dilation of the cell-slurry with a portion of the supernate, to form a dilated cell-slurry, the dilated cell-slurry being transferred from the fluidizing system to the syringe, while maintaining at least a portion of the supernate, the cell-slurry and supernate being transferred from the fluidizing system to the syringe, a pressurizing mechanism adapted to create a pressure to cause the dilated cell-slurry contained within the syringe to flow for delivery to the patient and a control unit in communication with and adapted to control the fluidizing system, the pressurizing mechanism and movement of the dilated cell-slurry.
1. A system for delivering a cell-slurry to a patient, comprising:
a fluid;
cells that are non-dissolvable or immiscible in the fluid, thereby forming the cell-slurry;
a syringe adapted to contain the cell-slurry and a supernate of the cell-slurry, the syringe defining a first end having an outlet through which the cell-slurry is delivered to the patient;
a fluidizing system associated with the syringe and adapted to effect dilation of the cell-slurry with a portion of the supernate, to form a dilated cell-slurry, the dilated cell-slurry being transferred from the fluidizing system to the syringe, while maintaining a remaining portion of the supernate, the cell-slurry and supernate being transferred from the fluidizing system to the syringe;
a pressurizing mechanism adapted to create a pressure to cause the dilated cell-slurry contained within the syringe to flow for delivery to the patient; and
a control unit in communication with and adapted to control the fluidizing system, the pressurizing mechanism, and movement of the dilated cell-slurry,
wherein the pressurizing mechanism comprises at least a first plunger slidably disposed within the syringe,
and wherein the syringe further comprises an inlet near the outlet of the first end and a pump connected to said inlet, said pump and said inlet operate to deliver additional fluid as the dilated cell-slurry is delivered to the patient.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the fluidizing system comprises a bulk motion system adapted to impart motion to the syringe or to a portion of the syringe.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein the fluidizing system comprises a stirring system and is adapted to impart motion to the cell-slurry.
4. The system of claim 3 wherein the stirring system comprises a moveable element.
5. The system of claim 4 wherein the moveable element is a plunger, the plunger being rotatable about an axis thereof.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein the control unit comprises a processing/memory unit, a user interface adapted to allow an operator to program the control unit and a communications interface in communications with one or more additional systems.
7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor in communication with the control unit and associated with the syringe, the sensor adapted to determine an amount of dilation of the cell-slurry.
8. The system of claim 1 wherein the pump is a syringe.
9. The system of claim 1 wherein the control unit is further adapted to control the pump.
10. The system of claim 9 wherein an amount of the additional fluid delivered via the inlet and the pump is measured by a sensor and controlled by the control unit.