US Patent 11969536 Systems enabling alternative approaches to therapeutic red blood cell exchange and/or therapeutic plasma exchange

Systems and methods are provided for therapeutic red blood cell exchange and/or therapeutic plasma exchange. A blood separation device includes a centrifugal separator, a spinning membrane separator drive unit, a pump system, and a controller. Blood is conveyed through a fluid flow circuit into either the centrifugal separator or the spinning membrane separator, which separates out the target blood component (red blood cells, in the case of therapeutic red blood cell exchange, or plasma, in the case of therapeutic plasma exchange). The target blood component is retained in the circuit as a waste product, while a replacement fluid is added to the remaining blood component(s), which is then conveyed to a recipient. In addition to allowing for execution of an exchange procedure using either a centrifugal separator or a spinning membrane separator drive unit, the blood separation device also allows for the use of differently sized spinning membrane separators.