Abstract: Polymer sheets or films are provided with tear paths that are substantially indistinguishable from the remainder of the polymer sheet or film in outward appearance and in chemical properties. Throughout the tear path, molecular chains of the polymer are oriented generally along a predetermined axis, while the molecular chains of the remainder of the polymer sheet or film are oriented generally differently from said predetermined axis. Such tear paths are typically formed by means of a device that extracts heat from the polymer as it is extruded or otherwise molded, the extraction rate being faster than the rate at which the remainder of the molded polymer is cooled in order to encourage maintenance of the substantially monoaxial orientation of the polymer chains along the tear path when the entire polymer is subsequently blown up or otherwise reoriented.

Abstract: A plasmapheresis system in which whole blood is filtered through a microporous membrane to provide a plasma filtrate. The system includes a filter cell assembly having a membrane support member, a treatment membrane spaced from the membrane support member with a plasma treatment agent sandwiched between the treatment membrane and the membrane support member, and a microporous membrane spaced from the treatment membrane to form a plasma chamber between the treatment membrane and the microporous membrane. Whole blood is introduced to the side of the microporous membrane opposite to the plasma chamber, plasma is filtered through the microporous membrane to the plasma chamber and the plasma filtrate contacts the treatment membrane which operates to provide a mass transfer between the treatment agent and the plasma filtrate. The treated plasma is withdrawn from the plasma chamber, is mixed with the plasma-poor whole blood and is returned to the patient.

Abstract: Packages or containers are formed for body fluids or other solutions within which autoclaved liquids such as anticoagulants are included. The invention, which is particularly suitable for donor blood bags, includes the use of a sterile connector to incorporate autoclaved liquids into sterilized packages that can, if desired, be made of materials that cannot be successfully autoclaved at high temperatures without deformation or discoloration thereof.

Abstract: The apparatus includes a peristaltic pump for withdrawing whole blood from a patient, a device for centrifuging the blood to separate plasma from the whole blood, a plasma treatment chamber for receiving the plasma, a vehicle positioned within the chamber and having an immuno-adsorbent agent fixed thereon to interact and bond with an immunological reactant carried by the plasma that is passed through the chamber for removing the immunological reactant from the plasma, tubing connected to recombine the substantially immunological reactant free plasma with the remainder of the whole blood and a peristaltic pump for returning the recombined whole blood to the patient. According to the present invention the plasma treatment chamber has a variable volume so that the chamber can be used for treating sequentially different quantities of plasma.

Abstract: A multiple blood bag system comprising a donor bag for receiving blood from a donor, and one or more transfer bags, communicating by flexible tubing with the donor bag, for receiving a blood component from the donor bag. In accordance with this invention, the various bags may be made of differing materials to provide differing characteristics to the bags as desired. For example, the transfer bag or bags may be made of a translucent, flexible, sterilizable material which is free of blood extractable ester-type plasticizers, and may have a relatively high carbon dioxide diffusion capacity. The donor bag may be made of a translucent, flexible, sterilizable material which contains preferably at least five percent by weight of a specified ester plasticizer, sufficient to cause a substantial reduction in plasma hemoglobin produced by blood stored under normal conditions for 21 days in the donor bag, when compared with blood in a corresponding, plasticizer-free donor bag stored under equivalent conditions.

Abstract: Injection sites are provided for injecting substances such as medicaments into systems that are feeding parenteral fluid to a patient, which injection sites have injection ports that are thermoplastically sealed into the injection site in a manner that is simpler, faster, less expensive, and more readily automated than other assemblies. The assembly includes a vibratory energy seal of the non-thermoplastic port within a countersunk thermoplastic seat.

Abstract: The method and apparatus are useful in forming a parison which has a varying wall thickness and an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the annular outlet orifice from which the parison is extruded. Such a parison is obtained by adding additional molten thermoplastic material to the parison while extruding the same to vary the thickness of portions of the parison. The additional molten material is directed radially outwardly from the axis of the parison to increase the wall thickness and to increase the swell of the parison which is defined as the ratio of the inner diameter of the parison to the outer diameter of the outlet orifice. Also the ratio of the outer diameter of the parison to the inner diameter of a mold in which the parison is blowmolded into a container is reduced permitting a larger container to be formed from the thicker portion of the parison while having a small entrance opening formed from a thin wall portion of the parison.

Abstract: A sickle cell therapeutic treatment is provided by means of continuous flow red blood cell carbamylation. In a substantially continuous process, whole blood is removed from a patient and is directed to a red cell separator chamber of a seal-less type centrifuge. The whole blood is centrifuged and the red blood cells to be treated are removed from the red cell separation chamber and are directed to a reaction chamber. An anti-sickle agent, such as cyanate solution, is introduced into the reaction chamber and is mixed with the red blood cells to be treated. The mixed anti-sickle agent and red blood cells are transferred to a wash chamber in the centrifuge where they are washed, by centrifugation, and the washed, treated red blood cells are combined with the plasma that was separated in the red cell separation chamber and the combination is returned to the patient.

Abstract: The apparatus includes a peristaltic pump for withdrawing whole blood from a patient, a device for centrifuging the blood to separate plasma from the whole blood, a plasma treatment chamber for receiving the plasma, a vehicle positioned within the chamber and having an immunoadsorbent agent fixed thereon to interact and bond with an immunological reactant carried by the plasma that is passed through the chamber for removing the immunological reactant from the plasma, tubings connected to recombine the substantially immunological reactant free plasma with the remainder of the whole blood and a peristaltic pump for returning the recombined whole blood to the patient. In one plasma treatment chamber, the vehicle is defined by a spiral coiled membrane which has an immunoadsorbent agent fixed thereon. Each convolution of the spiral is spaced from an adjacent convolution and the coil is positioned within the chamber so that plasma flows through the space between the convolutions of the spiral coiled membrane.

Abstract: The method for bonding a plastic tubing to a metal needle includes the steps of coating the inner end of the needle with a cement, inserting the coated inner end of the needle within the outer end portion of a plastic tubing and applying a radiofrequency current across the plastic tubing around the inner end of the needle to heat seal the plastic tubing to the inner end of the needle.

Abstract: The nose seal assembly is utilized in a centrifugal chemical analysis apparatus wherein compressed air and wash water tubings are coupled through the assembly to the nose of an open ended hollow shaft for providing a seal between the nose and the assembly upon relative rotational movement therebetween. The assembly comprises a hollow bushing to which is clamped an annular web pad which is made of Nylatron NSB .RTM. having a high pressure x velocity (PV) factor and a low coefficient of friction. The assembly further includes a heat dissipation disc to which the wear pad is clamped and an elastomeric washer which is cemented to and between the bushing and the heat dissipation disc and which is designed to provide sufficient "give" to enable the assembly to maintain a good seal when the wear surface of the wear pad is not coplanar with the plane of the nose. Also, the nose has a hemi-toroid configuration to enhance sealing with, and to reduce wear of, the wear pad.

Abstract: Valve means in a flexible tube, for example, tubing for connecting blood bags, are provided, which comprises a tubular portion having a closed end, and an elongated, generally rigid member, carried on the exterior of the closed end and positioned within the flexible tube. Frangible means are provided to permit the opening of the closed end by manual manipulation of the elongated member from outside of the flexible tube. The elongated, rigid member is adapted to fit in sealing relationship within the tubular portion after opening of the closed end, to permit resealing of the valve. The elongated, generally rigid member carries longitudinal vanes to provide flow channels along its length.

Abstract: The rollers of a peristaltic pump are provided with an unyielding surface, so as to insure uniform compression of the pumped tube. The rollers are mounted on their driving axles by means including yielding rubber bushings, whereby the rollers accommodate to varying diameters of pump tubing and do so without generating objectionable noise. Because the rollers yieldingly ride over the irregularities, two adjacent tubes of slightly differing diameters can simultaneously be contacted and stripped by one set of rollers.

Abstract: An alarm unit for a humidity sensor activates an alarm circuit when the relative humidity rises above a certain value or under certain malfunction conditions such as a missing sensor or a cut cable, includes a first circuit for establishing a reference signal, and a second circuit adapted to be connected to a humidity sensor for responding thereto and for generating a humidity out-of-limits signal. A third circuit responds to the reference signal and to the humidity out-of-limits signal to generate an alarm signal. The third circuit includes a level detector, and the first circuit comprises an impedance device which cooperates with the second circuit which in turn connects the sensor to the input of the level detector, the sensor being a variable impedance device.