Patent Grant
11406945
This disclosure generally relates to an inline mixer for mixing multiple components of a combined fluid stream. In fact, this disclosure relates to such inline mixers, systems utilizing such inline mixers and methods of inline mixing in a variety of fields, including medicine, energy, manufacturing, etc.
Inline mixing of combined fluid streams, including fluid streams of different viscosities, may be useful in a wide variety of settings including the medical field, the food industry, electronics, automotive, energy, petroleum, pharmaceutical, chemical industries, manufacturing and others. In one example of an application in the medical field, inline mixing of two or more combined fluid streams is employed to form a sealant, such as a tissue sealant, that is applied to human and animal tissue. Such sealant may be employed to seal or repair tissue at a surgical or wound site, to stop bleeding, seal wounds, treat burns or skin grafts and a variety of other purposes. In the food industry, inline mixing of two or more components are useful for blending of food and beverage compositions. In the electronics and/or manufacturing industries, the combination of two or more components may be employed to create coatings or sealants as desired for particular applications. This may include coating or sealants that are optically clear, electrically conductive or insulative, thermally conductive or high temperature resistant or useful in very low temperature or cryogenic applications. In the ophthalmologic field, inline mixing of two or more components may be desirable to provide relatively small quantities or low flow rates of a treating agent for treatment of the eye. In the fuel or energy industries, inline mixing of air, water or other components with fuel may be helpful to create environmentally safer or cleaner fuels. Inline mixing may also be helpful in the manufacture of nano- or micro-sized particles and particle suspensions for use in the medical (such as drug delivery) field.
In the medical field, and more particularly in the field of tissue sealants used to seal or repair biological tissue, such sealant is typically formed from two or more components that, when mixed, form a sealant having sufficient adhesion for a desired application, such as to seal or repair skin or other tissue. Such sealant components are preferably biocompatible, and can be absorbed by the body, or are otherwise harmless to the body, so that they do not require later removal. For example, fibrin is a well known tissue sealant that is made from a combination of at least two primary components—fibrinogen and thrombin, which have, depending on the temperature, different viscosities of about 300 cps and 15 cps, respectively. Upon coming into contact with each other, the fibrinogen and thrombin components interact to form a tissue sealant, fibrin, which is extremely viscous.
Sealant components may be kept in separate containers and are combined prior to application. However, because sealant components such as fibrinogen and thrombin have different viscosities, complete and thorough mixing is often difficult to achieve. If the components are inadequately mixed, then the efficacy of the sealant to seal or bind tissue at the working surface is compromised.
Inadequate mixing of the type described above is also a problem present in other medical and/or non-medical fields, where two or more components having relatively different viscosities are required to be mixed together. Such components may tend to separate from each other prior to use or be dispensed in a less than thoroughly mixed stream, due at least in part to their different viscosities, flow rates and depending on the temperature and amount of time such mixture may be stored prior to use.
To overcome the difficulties of the formation of the highly viscous fibrin in the medical field, in providing tissue sealant, it has become common to provide in-line mixing of two or more components—in lieu of batch or tank mixing of the components—to form a tissue sealant, just prior to its application on a work surface. Some sealant products that may provide suitable mixtures include FLOSEAL, COSEAL, TISSEEL and ARTISS sealants from Baxter Healthcare Corporation, OMINEX sealants from Johnson & Johnson and BIOGLUE sealants from Cryolife, Inc. Such sealant may be applied by a dispenser that ejects sealant directly onto the tissue or other substrate or working surface. Examples of tissue sealant dispensers are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,631,055, 4,846,405, 5,116,315, 5,582,596, 5,665,067, 5,989,215, 6,461,361 and 6,585,696, 6,620,125 and 6,802,822 and PCT Publication No. WO 96/39212, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Further examples of such dispensers also are sold under the Tissomat® and Duploject® trademarks, which are marketed by Baxter AG. Typically, in these prior art devices, two individual streams of the components fibrinogen and thrombin are combined and the combined stream is dispensed to the work surface. Combining the streams of fibrinogen and thrombin initiates the reaction that results in the formation of the fibrin sealant. While thorough mixing is important to fibrin formation, fouling or clogging of the dispenser tip can interfere with proper dispensing of fibrin. Such clogging or fouling may result from contact or mixing of the sealant components in a dispenser for an extended period of time prior to ejection of the sealant components from the dispensing tip.
In current mixing systems, the quality of mixing of two or more components having different viscosities may vary depending on the flow rate. For example, under certain flow conditions, the components may be dispensed as a less than thoroughly mixed stream. Accordingly, there is a desire to provide a mixing system which is not dependent on the flow rate to achieve sufficient mixing.
Although prior devices have functioned to various degrees in forming and dispensing mixtures, there is a continuing need to provide a mixer and dispensing system that provides reliable and thorough mixing of at least two components (such as, for example, for a tissue sealant) for application to a desired work surface or other use applications in other fields. Such a mixing system could be provided to dispense the mixture just prior to or at least in close proximity to its intended use or application. Preferably, such a mixer and dispensing system would also avoid undue fouling or clogging of the dispenser.
In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a device for mixing at least two separate streams of components which, when mixed, form a combined fluid stream. The device includes a first passageway adapted to communicate with one of the at least two separate streams, and a second passageway adapted to communicate with another of the at least two separate streams. The device also includes a mixer communicating with each of the first and second passageways comprising a three-dimensional lattice defining a plurality of tortuous, interconnecting passages therethrough. The mixer has physical characteristics to sufficiently mix the component streams of the combined fluid stream, which characteristics include a selected one or more of mean flow pore size, thickness and porosity.
In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a system for combining at least two separate streams of components which, when mixed, form a combined fluid stream. The system includes a first passageway in fluid communication with one of the at least two separate streams, a second passageway in fluid communication with another of the at least two separate streams, and a third passageway in fluid communication with and downstream of the first and second passageways for joining the at least two separate streams at a selected location. The system also includes at least one mixer downstream of and in the vicinity of the selected location, the mixer comprising a three-dimensional lattice defining a plurality of tortuous, interconnecting passages therethrough. Additionally, the system includes an outlet downstream of the mixer to allow flow of the combined fluid stream.
In a further aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a system for mixing at least two separate components which, when mixed, form a combined fluid stream. The system includes at least one mixer having first and second sides and comprising a three-dimensional lattice defining a plurality of tortuous, interconnecting passages therethrough, a first port in fluid communication with the first side of the mixer and adapted to communicate with a source of a first component, and a second port in fluid communication with the second side of the mixer and adapted to communicate with a source of a second component. Each port is in fluid communication with the other port through the mixer to allow one of the first and second components to flow from selected one of the first and second sides of the mixer to the other side and to allow return flow of both the first and second components from the other side through the mixer.
In a still further aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a method for combining at least two separate components. The method includes providing a mixer comprising a three-dimensional lattice defining a plurality of tortuous, interconnecting passages therethrough, and selecting a material for the mixer based on physical characteristics of said material, said characteristics including a selected one or more of mean flow pore size, thickness and porosity volume.
A more detailed description of these and other aspects of the devices, systems, methods and compositions of the present disclosure is set forth below.
Although described later in terms of certain structures, it should be understood that the device, system and method of the present invention are not limited to the identical structures shown, and that the scope of the present invention is defined by the claims as now or hereafter filed.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention,
As shown in
In
As shown in
Although manually actuated plungers are illustrated for dispensing the fluid components, other types of devices may be used in connection with the present invention including manually or electrically actuated dispensers. Further, as noted above, it is contemplated that the present invention is not limited to dispensers for sealant and may be used to combine two or more components for other combined fluid streams for other applications within or outside of the medical field.
In
In
As described above, and further shown in
In accordance with the present invention, a mixer, generally indicated at 36, is positioned upstream of the dispensing end 34 of the third passageway 32 for mixing of the component streams. As the component streams flow through the mixer 36, they are mixed together to provide a thorough mixing of two or more components to create a substantially homogeneous combined fluid stream that is dispensed from the dispensing end 34.
The mixer 36 described herein is preferably formed of a three-dimensional lattice or matrix that defines a plurality of tortuous interconnected passageways through the mixer. As a result of this structure, the component fluid streams are intimately mixed together as they pass through the mixer. The mixer 36 may provide for a laminar flow of the fluid component streams to enhance mixing between the fluid component streams, or otherwise provide fluid flow conditions which preferably promote significant mixing of the fluid component streams.
One preferred material for the mixer is illustrated in cross-sections in
Other materials that may be sintered to define an integral porous structure may include glasses, ceramics, and metals. In regard to metals, materials such as bronze, stainless steel, nickel, titanium, and related alloys may be used. Particular examples may include stainless steels, such as 316L, 304L, 310, 347, and 430, nickel alloys, such as HASTELLOY C-276, C-22, X, N, B, and B2 (HASTELLOY being a registered trademark of Haynes International, Inc. of Kokomo, Ind.), INCONEL 600, 625, 690, MONEL 400 (INCONEL and MONEL being registered trademarks of Huntington Alloys Corp of Huntington, W. Va.), Nickel 200 and Alloy 20, and titanium. Sintered metal materials suitable for use in the mixers and mixing methods of the present disclosure may be available from commercial sources, such as from Porvair Technology, a Division of Porvair Filtration Group Ltd., of Wrexham, United Kingdom (including BRM bronze materials) and Mott Corporation, of Farmington, Conn. (including stainless steels, nickel alloys (HASTEALLOY, INCONEL, MONEL, Nickel 200, Alloy 20) and titanium).
It is also possible that the mixer 36 may be made of one or more materials having one or more characteristics that may assist mixing of the component streams. By way of example and not limitation, the material may be hydrophilic, which is material that essentially absorbs or binds with water, hydrophobic, a material which is essentially incapable of dissolving in water, oleophobic, a material which is essentially resistance to absorption of oils and the like, and/or have other characteristics that may be desired to enhance mixing of the components.
As noted above, the mixer 36 preferably is made in whole or in part of a three-dimensional lattice or matrix that defines a plurality of tortuous, interconnecting passages therethrough. In
The illustrated mixer 36 in
At
Also, the mean pore size range of the mixer may vary. In the three-dimensional lattice shown in
Table 1 includes several commercial sintered polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP) materials manufactured by Porex or by Porvair under the tradename Porvent or Vyon. The table summarizes the mixing results achieved from each material based on quality of fibrin obtained after fibrinogen and thrombin (4 International Units (IU)/ml) passed through a device having a single mixer such as shown in
The mixer may be further configured and sized so as to provide sufficiently thorough mixing of the streams of the components. The size of the mixer may vary depending on such factors which include the size and/or configuration of the dispenser, the mixer porosity and mean pore size, the mixer material employed, the desired degree of mixing, the mixing components, and/or the desired application. For a mixer having the above discussed example ranges for porosity and mean pore sizes, the mixer thickness may range between about 1.5 mm and 3.0 mm, as indicated in Table 1. Other thicknesses are also possible including a variable or non-uniform thickness.
Also, the shape and configuration of the mixer may vary from the generally circular cross section or disk shape that is shown in
As shown in
Also, the mixer may be manufactured in various ways which may depend on the desired shape, thickness and/or other characteristics of the material or materials that is employed for the mixer. By way of example and not limitation, the mixer may be fabricated or sectioned from one or more pieces of material having a desired size, thickness and/or other characteristics for the mixer. Alternatively, the mixer may be prefabricated including one or more molding processes to form a mixer having a desired size, thickness and/or other characteristics. It is also possible that the mixer may be manufactured in other ways. The mixer may be preassembled as part of a cannula, needle of the cannula, luer, spray tip, tube, or other device, such as by molding ultrasonic welding, mechanical fittings or other attachment techniques. By way of example and not limitation,
The material for the mixer may be characterized and selected for a given application based on one or more physical characteristics so as to provide a sufficiently and relatively homogeneous combined fluid stream downstream of the mixer and upon passing the component streams through the mixer. By way of example, Table 2 illustrates various sintered polymer materials for the mixers suitable for use in the dispensers systems and methods described herein, and their physical characteristics. The specific materials identified in Table 2 are manufactured by, for example, Porvair Filtration Group Ltd. (Hampshire, United Kingdom) or Porex Corporation (Fairburn, Ga., USA). The data represented in this table includes the K value from Darcy's Law, as indicated in the following equation:
Q=(K*S*ΔP)/(η*L)
where Q is the Flow rate of fluid flow through the material;
S is the surface area of the material;
ΔP is the change in pressure between the upstream and downstream locations of the material;
L is the thickness of the material; and
η is the viscosity of the fluid flowing through the material, or if more than one fluid is flowing the viscosity of the more viscous component.
The K values typically represent a permeability value and are represented in Table 2 based on increasing K value, expressed in units of μm2s which represents increasing values of permeability. Table 2 also summarizes several physical characteristics of the material including the relative values for minimum pore size (min.) mean flow pore size, maximum pore size (max.), average bubble point (or pressure that causes the liquid to create air bubbles), thickness, and porosity. The physical characteristics of each of the materials in Table 2 were obtained based on testing using methods known to those of skill in the art.
By way of example and not limitation, the K values in Table 2 were obtained by permeability testing using water passed through the listed materials having the indicated physical characteristics. The permeability test was helpful to characterize materials based on their K value and, these materials are listed in order of increasing K value in Table 2. For the measurement of permeability, the materials employed included sintered porous material sheet supplied by Porvair and Porex. The permeability test was performed on a syringe that was filled with water. The pressure reducer was turned off and all connections downstream of the syringe were opened. Then water was allowed to flow through the syringe until the pressure drop between top and bottom of the syringe was about zero. The pressure reducer was then switched on and compressed air was injected to push water from the syringe at a constant flow rate. The volume of injected air was determined based on monitoring the flow of water between upper and lower volumetric markings on the syringe. As soon as the water meniscus crossed the upper mark, the time and pressure were recorded (P1). When the water meniscus crossed the lower mark on the syringe body, the total time (t), pressure (P2) and volume of water (V) were recorded. In addition to the known values of P1, P2, t and V, the remaining parameters for the calculation of permeability that were known include: Diameter of sintered material disc is about 10 mm, the thickness is about 1.5 mm, the surface of sintered material disc is about 78.54 mm2, the Dynamic viscosity of water 10−3 Pascal second (Pa·s). This test was used to determine the K values in Table 2.
As described herein, it is contemplated that other liquids, gases and solids may be used to determine a K value from Darcy's Law for these materials or other materials. It is realized that different liquids, gases and solids will change the viscosity value (η) of Darcy's Law and, as such, will provide different K values or ranges for a given set of physical properties (thickness L and surface area S) of the material, flow rate Q and pressure difference ΔP that may be employed. Further, even where the same liquid, gas or solid is used, such that the viscosity is held constant, other parameters may be varied to achieve different K values. By way of example and not limitation, any one or more of the flow rate, surface area, thickness, and/or pressure difference may be varied and, as such, vary the resulting K value that is determined.
Turning briefly to
At Table 3, the K values of the materials listed at Table are represented. By way of example and not limitation, good, homogeneous mixing of a combined fibrinogen and thrombin mixture has been observed using mixer or disk made of a material having a K value from Tables 2-3 between approximately 5 and 17. In addition, Table 3 includes a numerical product of the mean flow pore size (MFP), thickness and porosity volume (PV) multiplied by 1000 (based on increasing value of this product). It has also been observed that using a mixer having a MFP*thickness*PV*1000 value, within the range of about 16 to 55 achieves good, homogeneous mixing of fibrin. The mixer material may also be selected based on one or more of the above physical characteristics or other characteristics. As discussed above, the permeability or K values may vary from those discussed above in Tables 2-3, for example, where a liquid other than water is used, or where a gas and solid may be employed for the permeability testing or where different physical characteristics or parameters are employed. In such instances, it is contemplated that an appropriate range of K values will be determined and the material of the mixer may be appropriately selected based on a range of K values that is determined to provide sufficient quality of mixing. Also the K values may differ due to the technique utilized in measuring the value.
Additionally, three commercial sintered bronze materials manufactured by Porvair under the tradename BRM have been tested using methods known to those of skill in the art to develop physical characteristic data similar to that presented in Tables 2 and 3. Bronze materials are believed to be better suited for higher flow rate (for example, on the order of one liter/second), higher pressure (for example, in excess of 1 Bar) applications, such as may occur in industrial processes. BRM 30 has a range of pore sizes from 9 μm to 135 μm, BRM 40 has a range of pore sizes from 12 μm to 300 μm, and BRM 60 has a range of pore sizes from 20 μm to above 300 μm. The mean flow pore sizes are 38 μm, 58 μm, and 100 μm for the BRM 30, BRM 40, and BRM 60 materials, respectively. Furthermore, the K values for these materials were 26.99, 46.19, and 65.94 for the BRM 30, BRM 40 and BRM 60 materials, respectively. While all three materials exhibit generally good mixing properties, the BRM 60 material has been used in the examples below.
Referring to
The passageway 132 may be of one-piece construction or comprised of separate portions or tubing segments 132A, 132B and 132C, with the mixers 136A, 136B located between the segments 132A, 132B and 132C, as shown in
The distance V between the mixers 136A, 136B may be varied between about 0 mm, in which the mixers are adjacent to each other, and 6 mm or more.
The mixing and dispensing systems described herein may provide for a “Stop and Go” device or process, in which the flow of fluid component streams are intermittently started and stopped. For such “Stop and Go” device or process, the length L and/or the distance V preferably should not generate significant fibrin formation on the mixer or mixers or between the mixers if more than one mixer is employed. For a “Stop and Go” device employing at least two mixers, the length L and the distance V may vary. By way of example and not limitation, for a two mixer device, a length L of about 3 mm and a distance V of about 4 mm may achieve sufficiently thorough mixing as well as avoid significant generation of fibrin on or between the two mixers. Other variations of the length L and the distance V are also possible from those discussed and may be employed, depending on the desired application and/or other designs and parameters that may be employed.
In
In
In
In
Other modifications are also possible. For example, the gas-assisted spray dispensers shown in
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
As indicated in previous embodiments, the mixing devices 502 may be located in spaced relation to each other and located in series. The connector 500 also includes first and second ends, 506 and 508, respectively, which, as shown in
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a method provides for mixing at least two separate streams of components, such as for example, sealant components. The method may be performed by providing a mixer such as at least one mixer 36, 236 or more than one mixer 136A, 136B, 336A, 336B, which includes a three-dimensional lattice or matrix that defines a plurality of tortuous, interconnecting passages therethrough, such as in any of the above-described embodiments. The method further provides for passing the at least two separate streams of components such as sealant components through the mixer.
As noted above, the method may be performed with at least one mixer or a plurality of mixers, such as two or more mixers positioned in series, either adjacent or spaced from one another. The method may also be repeated a plurality of times such that the flow of the two streams may be stopped and then the flow of the streams may be restarted so that the streams pass through the mixer with minimal clogging of such mixer.
During operation of the dispensers 2, 102, 202, 302, 402 in
By way of example,
Turning to
When it is desired to mix the components, one component, such as fibrinogen, which, for example is located in the left dispenser is allowed to from one (or first) side of the mixer to another (or second) side of the mixer thereby allowing flow into the other container 908 on the right side of the mixer, where, for example, thrombin is located. It is contemplated that either one or both of the containers may be partially filled prior to mixing to accommodate the additional volume of the other component. The two components are preferably allowed to flow from the container 908 through the mixer to the left side of the mixer. Each time the components pass through the mixing device 900 further mixing between the components is provided.
It is contemplated that the components may pass through the mixing device 900 at least once, but more preferably several times, as desired or necessary to achieve sufficient mixing. For example, where fibrinogen and thrombin are employed, it may be desired to allow the components to pass through the mixing device back and forth between the two containers at least two or three times to achieve sufficient mixing. The mixture may then be stored in one of the containers 906, 908 and detached from the other to permit dispensing at a desired location. For example, the container can be docked on a dispensing system such as the DUPLOJECT applicator from Baxter Healthcare Corporation.
Alternately, a device, as shown and described below at
As previously described devices and systems described herein are not limited to mixing liquid components. One or both of the components may in fact be a gas such as air or other gases. The embodiment shown in
It is also possible for one or more of the components to be a solid that may be passed through a mixer in any one of the devices and systems described herein. The solid is comprised of particles having a size or diameter that is relatively smaller than the minimum pore size of the mixer so that such solid may pass through the mixer. For example, one or more solids may be mixed with another solid, a liquid or a gas as, for example, in methods for making nano or micro sized particles and suspensions thereof.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, three or more components may be mixed together using any of the above described embodiments or the like. For example, In
Turning to
By way of example,
As shown in
In
In particular, the alcohol, oil, olechemical derivative, etc. used in such a combination may come from biological sources, rather than being a petroleum product. For example, bioethanol may be produced from feedstocks, such as barley, grapes, maize, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, and sugar cane. Bioethanol may also be produced from other materials high in starch content, even waste streams from distillation processes used with wine or molasses may be used. Biobutonol may be produced by microbes (which may be genetically-modified for this purpose) as they digest the sugar produced by breaking down cellulosic biomass, such as plant fibers from sources such as grass clippings, tree cuttings, wood chips, and rice straw, or such as may be found in household or animal waste. The non-petroleum oils used in such a combination may include, cotton oil, soy oil, colza oil, palm oil, animal fats, vegetable oil (including hydrogenated vegetable oil), rapeseed oil, sunflower seed oil, jatropha oil, tung oil, coconut oil, tempura oil, and castor oil. The oils may in fact be produced by and harvested from certain forms of oil-producing microalgae, such as is documented in A Look Back at the US Department of Energy's Aquatic Species Program—Biodiesel from Algae, J. Sheehan et al. (July 1998) (cataloging over 3000 strains of oil-producing microalgae). In addition, olechemical derivatives may be used, such as fatty acid methyl esters (FAMES).
An example of forming biodiesel fuel employing the device in
It may be preferable to have the above described mixing system available at a service or fuel station where the fuel components are mixed just prior to dispensing by a user into an automobile for use. Alternatively, it may be more preferable to have the mixing system as part of automobile fuel system where the fuel components are mixed just prior to use by the automobile (e.g., just prior to when the fuel mixture is introduced into the cylinder or other combustion device). According to those embodiments utilizing water in the mixture, it is contemplated that the water may be obtained from a water reservoir located in the automobile that may be filled by the driver at home or at a gasoline station and/or may be collected from the air conditioning system, rain and/or other methods.
In addition to the medical and automotive applications already described above, any of the inline mixing devices, as described herein, may be employed in other applications. Examples of such other applications include aerospace (e.g., space propulsion), chemical (e.g., mixtures of cosmetics, paint, detergents and the manufacture of foams, in particular foams utilizing non-petroleum-based polyols), food (e.g., drink mixtures, food additives), PVC or polymer emulsions cosmetics, dental, health or pharmaceutical, adhesives and water treatment (water additives), oil drilling fluids (mixing pressurized water). In addition, such inline mixing devices may be employed in ophthalmologic applications such as to mix and dispense relatively small quantities such as, at about 50 microliters, which may typically require dispensing to a patient at a relatively slow flow rate. As described and shown below, dispensers using one or two mixers, as described herein, achieved relatively good quality of mixing, that is independent of the flow rate employed. In this regard, it is contemplated that the mixers described herein may be employed in other medical and non-medical applications to achieve sufficiently good quality of mixing regardless of the relatively high or low flow rates that may be employed.
In regard to food applications, the mixing devices described above may be used to mix any number of food products. As one example, an egg white may be mixed with air to create an egg white mousse. In such example, one of the containers A and B of the device in
It will also be recognized that mixing devices, similar to that in
In fact, these mixtures may be produced along lines similar to those described elsewhere herein for the production of tissue sealants, except that additives such as fats, minerals and taste enhancers may be introduced to improve the nutritional quality and/or taste of the product. The fibrinogen and thrombin may also be mixed with liquids, solids, and gases to change the texture of the product. The product may be used alone, or in combination with other proteins, such as meat, fish, shellfish, and game. In regard to the former application, the product may be cast or molded in a particular shape to have the appearance of a particular food item, such as spaghetti, a steak, a nugget, etc. In the latter application of this technology, the product of the mixing devices may be used to bind smaller pieces of meat, fish, shellfish and game together to produce food items having a more consistent or a more desirable shape and/or size. Along similar lines, the product may be used to adhere or secure, for example, dissimilar proteins together, such as a strip of bacon to a shrimp or a steak. The product may thereafter be cooked using normal methods, such as boiled in water, oil, etc., baked, fried, or grilled. Potential uses may also include pharmaceutical products, pet foods, and animal feeds.
In regard to a dental application, a mixing device similar to that in
In regard to a health or pharmaceutical application, a mixing device similar to that in
Any of the devices and systems described herein may be employed as part of a disposable kit, such as a sterile disposable kit for medical applications. The kit may comprise, for example, any one or more of the dispensing/collecting devices or containers shown in
Where the devices and systems described above are used to prepare a fibrin tissue sealant, a high quality of mixing of a combined fibrin fluid stream, may be characterized by an essentially homogeneous quality (which may be a white color for fibrin obtained with a low thrombin concentration or may be a more transparent appearance for fibrin having a relatively higher thrombin concentration) and a minimum amount of transparent, free liquid, which occurs when the fibrinogen component is essentially homogeneously polymerized with the thrombin component. Accordingly, as shown in
As shown in
At
The present invention also may provide a combined fluid stream which preferably has a consistent viscosity regardless of temperature. Generally, an increase in temperature improves mixing of components, such as fibrinogen and thrombin. It is noted that the viscosity of fibrinogen varies between about 150 and 250 centipoises (cps) or about 1.5 and 2.5 g/(cm*sec), depending on temperature, which is significantly different, by approximately an order of magnitude, from the viscosity of thrombin, which is between about 10 and 20 centipoises (cps) or about 0.1 and 0.2 g/(cm*sec), also depending on temperature. The present invention may provide for essentially homogeneous mixing at about room temperature without requiring any heating of the components, such as by employing of the above described embodiments.
The quality of mixing of a combined fluid stream, such as fibrin, may also be characterized and determined by adding a contrast or radiopaque agent, such as, for example, lohexol to the thrombin concentration, prior to mixing of the components. For example, 50, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 and 600 mg/mL concentrations of lohexol were separately added to essentially similar thrombin concentrations, such as 75 IU, the concentration of a contrast or radiopaque agent, such as lohexol, may range between about 50 and 1200 mg/mL, preferably between about 300 and 400 mg/mL. Each thrombin/lohexol combination may be mixed with a fibrinogen component using a mixer, such as a two-mixer arrangement having a distance V of about 4 mm and a length L of about 6 mm. After passing the components through such mixer, the fibrin samples with lohexol, as arranged alongside each other, provide more transparent, homogeneously-mixed fibrin streams as compared to a fibrin sample that was obtained without lohexol using a mixer (indicated at “+” or as arranged alongside the 600 mg/mL sample) which is shown having a white color with greater turbidity. The above described samples were also compared to a “control” fibrin sample without lohexol and without a mixer. The control sample shown provides a fibrin stream having inconsistent turbidity, viscosity and color which is typical of insufficient mixing. It is possible to use other contrast or radiopaque agents, depending on the desired application and the combined fluid stream to be employed.
It is also possible to add other additive agents, such as antibiotics, drugs or hormones to one or more of the fluid component streams. For example, additives such as Platelet Derived Growth Factor (PDGF) or Parathyroid Hormone (PTH), such as those manufactured for Kuros Biosurgery AG of Zurich, Switzerland, may be added to one of the fibrin-forming components, such as fibrinogen. Bone morphogenic proteins (BMP) may also be employed. By way of example and not limitation, other agents include hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, carboxylmethylcellulose, chitosan, photo-sensitive inhibitors of thrombin and thrombin-like molecules, self assembling amphiphile peptides designed to mimic aggregated collagen fibers (extracellular matrices), catalyst, pro-catalysts, PEG's factor XIII, cross-linking agents, pigments, fibers, polymers, copolymers, antibody, antimicrobial agent, agents for improving the biocompatibility of the structure, proteins, anticoagulants, anti-inflammatory compounds, compounds reducing graft rejection, living cells, cell growth inhibitors, agents stimulating endothelial cells, antibiotics, antiseptics, analgesics, antineoplastics, polypeptides, protease inhibitors, vitamins, cytokine, cytotoxins, minerals, interferons, hormones, polysaccharides, genetic materials, proteins promoting or stimulating the growth and/or attachment of endothelial cells on the cross-linked fibrin, growth factors, growth factors for heparin bond, substances against cholesterol, pain killers, collagen, osteoblasts, drugs, etc. and mixtures thereof. Further examples of such agents also include, but are not limited to, antimicrobial compositions, including antibiotics, such as tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, and the like; antimycogenic compositions; antivirals, such as gangcyclovir, zidovudine, amantidine, vidarabine, ribaravin, trifluridine, acyclovir, dideoxyuridine, and the like, as well as antibodies to viral components or gene products; antifungals, such as diflucan, ketaconizole, nystatin, and the like; and antiparasitic agents, such as pentamidine, and the like. Other agents may further include anti-inflammatory agents, such as alpha- or beta- or .gamma-interferon, alpha- or beta-tumor necrosis factor, and the like, and interleukins.
Other additives may be introduced into one or more of the fluid component streams as well. For example, catalysts, co-catalysts, visualization agents, dyes, markers, tracers, and disinfectants may be included. Particular examples of suitable visualization agents are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,887,974 and 7,211,651, while examples of dyes (e.g., squaraine dyes), markers and tracers are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,054,122 and PCT Publication No. WO 2008/027821, and disinfectants (e.g., methylene blue) in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,989,215, 6,074,663, and 6,461,325, all of which patents and publications are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
It is possible that such agents or additives may be premixed with one or more of the fluid components, such as fibrinogen and/or thrombin in the respective component container. Alternatively, it may be possible for such agents or additives to be stored in a separate container as a liquid or lyophilized for mixing with one or more components during use of the dispenser and/or mixer. As a further alternative, the agents or additives could be disposed in the mixing device. As a still further alternative, the agents or additives may be contained in a cartridge that is disposed in the flow line upstream of the mixer.
For a dispenser or mixer, such as in any of the above described embodiments, in which one or more of agents are employed, the combined fluid stream preferably provides a sufficiently thoroughly mixed sealant, such as fibrin sealant, in which the antibiotic, drug, hormone, or other agents may be essentially well dispersed throughout the sealant. Such antibiotic, drug, hormone, or other agent may allow controlled release over time to the applied working surface, for example, to aid in post-operative or surgical treatment. It is contemplated that various agents may be employed depending on the desired application and the combined fluid stream.
Although the present invention has been described as employing at least two separate sources of fluid upstream of the mixer, it is also possible to eliminate one of such sources and provide such source within the formation of one or more mixing devices. For example, for forming a tissue sealant, such as fibrin, thrombin may be adsorbed, either soaked as a liquid or incorporated as a solid, into one or more of the mixers and freeze-dried to provide a source of thrombin. Such a mixing device could be connected or otherwise placed in flow communication with a single source of fibrinogen, such as a single syringe containing fibrinogen at 45 mg/mL, for generating a tissue sealant via the mixing that would occur when the fibrinogen is forced through the mixer. Other wet or dry components may be employed with one or more mixers or different components may be employed on different mixers, where one than one mixer is employed.
Another way to determine and characterize the quality of mixing may include mechanical testing of the combined fluid stream. Such testing may include testing the reactivity of the combined fluid stream to forces such as tension or compression forces. Generally speaking, a sufficiently thoroughly mixed, polymerized and homogeneous fibrin stream may withstand tensioning and compression forces to a greater extent than a fibrin stream which is insufficiently mixed, polymerized and homogeneous. For example, for a fibrin stream, tension may be applied to the fibrin stream along its length to determine the extent of fibrin elongation without separation of the stream. In one example, for two mixers having a distance V of between about 0 and 5 mm, preferably between about 3 and 4 mm, and a length L between about 2 and 6 mm, preferably between about 5 and 6 mm, a resulting fibrin stream may provide a fibrin elongation of about 100% to 300%, although other elongations are also possible. Other types of tests may also be employed for determining the quality of mixing.
At
The degree of alpha-α-chain cross-linking is determined by measuring the reduction overtime of the alpha-α-chain-band in comparison to the band containing the fibrin-β-chain and albumin. An electrophoresis method was performed based on an UREA/SDS electrophoresis technique on a DESAGA electrophoresis system (Sarstedt-Gruppe) loaded with a 5% acryl amid separation gel to identify the different chains of fibrinogen. After mixing fibrinogen and thrombin components at a ratio 1:1, the mixture was incubated at 37 C. The fibrinogen component employed for each of the samples described contained about 3 IU of Factor X III (FXIII) although it is realized that other concentrations of FXIII may be employed, which will achieve difference rates of crosslinking. Generally, crosslinking increases as the amount of FXIII is increased. After an incubation time of 0 and 120 min, the reaction was stopped by addition of a denaturant sample buffer and heated at 70 C for 5 min. The clots were left overnight for dissolution in the sample buffer at room temperature. The samples were loaded on a 5% polyacrylamide/urea gel. The gel was stained with Coomassie Brilliant Blue R250 and destained according to the method of Furlan, as shown on
In
Turning to
The degree of crosslinking may be represented as a Q value:
Q=Xn/X1,
where X1 represents the ratio or quotient of the total alpha α chain (total at peak 3) to the total albumin+β chain (total at peak 2) from Table 4 for an incubation time zero (0) (time) or for fibrinogen prior to mixing with thrombin; and
Xn represents the ratio or quotient of the total alpha α chain (total at peak 3) to the total albumin+β chain (total at peak 2) for any one of the samples indicated in Table 5 for an incubation time n or for a fibrin mixture after mixing with thrombin.
Based on the above samples, the estimated crosslinking or Q values may be represented as follows:
Based on the above examples, X1 may be represented as X1=alpha α chain/albumin+β chain from “Zero Sample” or fibrinogen prior to mixing. For example, X1 may have a value of about 26.619/84.771 or about 0.314, as indicated above. Xn may be represented as Xn=alpha α chain/albumin+β chain for any one of the fibrin mixtures of Samples 12, 13 or 17, as indicated above, for example, in sample 17, Xn may have a value of about 19.444/77.378 or about 0.251. The incubation time employed in the above examples is about 120 minutes and were observed at a temperature of 37 degrees Celsius, although other incubation times and temperatures may be employed. The rate of crosslinking further may be represented as a percentage, which is also indicated in the above table and may be calculated as follows:
Rate of crosslinking [%]: 100×(1−Q)
As shown in Table 6 above the quality of mixing as determined by the rate of alpha chain crosslinking was improved in devices using at least one mixer and further improved when two mixers are used. As shown in Table 6 the % crosslinking reported was approximately 11% and within a typical range of approximately 10-16%. The % crosslinking in devices using two mixers was approximately 21% and within a range of about 20%-30%.
In
As represented in
As represented in Table 6, the quality of mixing is not dependent on the temperature when using a mixing device in contrast to the control device which requires an increase to 37° C. to such a value of 21% crosslinking. By way of example, a fibrin mixture using a mixing device in Table 6 would not require heating or warming above typical operating room temperatures of about 18° C. to 22° C., as 27%-33% crosslinking is achieved as such temperature ranges. In addition, the above described % crosslinking is generally not affected by gamma irradiation, or sterilization as applied with the medical field.
Other ways may also be employed to measure the degree of crosslinking, such as for example, measuring the increase or decrease in other constituent chains. By way of example and not limitation, in addition or as an alternative to the above, it is also possible to measure the degree of crosslinking by measuring the increase in one or both of the gamma (γ) polymer (or gamma (γ) dimer) chain and the alpha (α) polymer chain, as either component generally increases as the degree of crosslinking increases to indicate mixing of the fibrinogen and thrombin. Another way to measure the degree of crosslinking may be measure the decrease in the gamma (γ) monomer chain, which decreases as the degree of crosslinking increases.
In contrast,
As can be seen from the above description, the present invention has several different aspects, which are not limited to the specific structures shown in the attached drawings. Variations of these concepts or structures may be embodied in other structures for carrying out application of tissue sealant or other applications in the medical or other fields without departing from the present invention as set forth in the appended claims.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/927,082, filed Oct. 29, 2015, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/242,994, filed Oct. 1, 2008, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/624,113, filed Jan. 17, 2007, which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/759,695, filed Jan. 17, 2006, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein, in its entirety and for all purposes.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20170182470 A1 | Jun 2017 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60759695 | Jan 2006 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 14927082 | Oct 2015 | US |
| Child | 15457802 | US | |
| Parent | 12242994 | Oct 2008 | US |
| Child | 14927082 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 11624113 | Jan 2007 | US |
| Child | 12242994 | US |
