Systems and methods for blood sample preservation and hematocrit separation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017059551-A1
Application number	US-201615253628-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 31, 2016
Priority date	Sep 1, 2015
Publication date	Mar 2, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system for preserving a blood sample and removing hematocrit includes a casing, the casing having a sample port and a lateral flow strip in the casing, the lateral flow strip receiving a sample through the sample port, and flowing the sample down a length of the lateral flow strip.

First claim

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1 . A system for preserving a blood sample and removing hematocrit, comprising:
a casing, the casing having a sample port; and a lateral flow strip in the casing, the lateral flow strip receiving a sample through the sample port, and flowing the sample down a length of the lateral flow strip.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a blood separation layer in the casing on top of the lateral flow test strip, oriented in line with the sample port.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the blood separation layer is approximately a length of the sample port and the lateral flow strip is a length of the casing.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the blood separation layer includes a uniform screen side and the lateral flow strip includes a uniform screen side; and the uniform screen side of the blood separation layer is oriented away from the sample port towards the lateral flow strip;
and the uniform screen side of the lateral flow strip is oriented towards the blood separation layer.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the casing includes a vent, the vent distal from the sample port.

6 . The system of claim 4 , further comprising a nylon layer oriented in the casing under the lateral flow test strip.

7 . The system of claim 6 , further comprising a cap, the cap sized to fit in the sample port of the casing.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the blood separation layer has been impregnated with inert ingredients to make it hydrophilic and allow red blood cell filtration.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the inert ingredients are poly vinyl alcohol and a wetting agent.

10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the inert ingredients are poly vinyl alcohol and lectins.

11 . The system of claim 7 , further comprising a pouch for receiving the casing and lateral flow strip combination, the pouch including a desiccant.

12 . The system of claim 7 , further comprising a vial for receiving the casing and lateral flow strip combination, the pouch including a desiccant.

13 . A method of preserving a blood sample, the method comprising:
providing a sample preservation system including:
a casing, the casing having a sample port;
a lateral flow strip in the casing;
receiving a blood sample in the sample port; and
flowing the blood sample across the lateral flow test strip.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
providing a blood separation layer, located above the lateral flow strip, in line with the sample port; flowing the blood sample vertically through the blood separation layer; separating the red blood cells with the blood separation layer; and flowing the blood sample to the lateral flow strip from the blood separation layer.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the blood separation layer is approximately a length of the sample port and the lateral flow strip is a length of the casing; and the blood separation layer includes a uniform screen side and the lateral flow strip includes a uniform screen side; and the uniform screen side of the blood separation layer is oriented away from the sample port towards the lateral flow strip; and the uniform screen side of the lateral flow strip is oriented towards the blood separation layer.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the sample preservation system includes a nylon layer oriented in the casing under the lateral flow test strip.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the sample preservation system includes a cap, the cap sized to fit in the sample port of the casing, and the method further comprises:
inserting the cap into the sample port to push the sample using air pressure through the blood separation membrane and the lateral flow membrane.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
providing a sample preservation enclosure; inserting the sample preservation system in the sample preservation enclosure; and drying the blood sample in the sample preservation enclosure.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the sample preservation enclosure is a sealable bag and includes a desiccant.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the sample preservation enclosure is a sealable vial and includes a desiccant.

Assignees

• Polymer Technology Systems Inc

Inventors

• Patwardhan Aniruddha
• Hughes Gary L

Classifications

• B01L2300/069

  Absorbents; Gels to retain a fluid · CPC title

• B01L2300/0809

  rectangular shaped · CPC title

• G01N1/28

  Preparing specimens for investigation {including physical details of (bio-)chemical methods covered elsewhere, e.g. G01N33/50, C12Q}(mounting specimens on microscopic slides G02B21/34; means for supporting the objects or the materials to be analysed in electron microscopes H01J37/20 {; laboratory gas handling apparatus B01L5/00}) · CPC title

• B01L3/5023

  with a sample being transported to, and subsequently stored in an absorbent for analysis · CPC title

• B01L2300/0681

  Filter · CPC title