Abstract: A biological fluid transport device comprises a cutwater at the junction of at least two blood flow paths. The cutwater is substantially straight, substantially vertical, or both. At least one of the fluid paths may be tubular, and in some embodiments all of the fluid paths are tubular. The shear sensitive fluid may be, without limitation, blood, blood-based combinations, cell culture media, cell suspensions, proteins, and microcapsule suspensions. The device may be part of an extracorporeal circuit (e.g., blood during heart-lung bypass procedures or blood processing), but it need not be. Preferred embodiments of the device include, without limitation, kinetic pumps, mass transfer devices, filters, reservoirs, and heat exchangers.

Abstract: A probe for use in collecting liquids entrained with a gaseous component, particularly collecting a patient's blood with entrained gas bubbles from a surgical site for autologous reinfusion. The probe separates the gaseous component from the collected liquid, particularly separating air bubbles from blood cells to inhibit hemolysis, platelet degradation and protein denaturation. An elongated probe body has a distal end to be inserted into the liquid to be collected through an inlet by jet pump action into a centrally disposed mixing chamber. A diffuser is formed within the probe body proximal to and in axial alignment with the inlet and mixing chamber leading to a liquid exit. A jet pump nozzle is formed in the probe distal tip surrounding the inlet in the form of an annular chamber into which pressurized drive fluid is introduced through a distribution channel system extending along the probe body from the proximal end.