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An in-line microfluidic blood sampling interface between patients and saline infusion systems

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Abstract

This work seeks to extend the utility of microfluidics to conventional blood sampling aperati. Daily medical care of hospitalized patients demands repeated needle punctures or interfacing with a catheter to collect blood samples. Large, research grade systems can autonomously sample blood from laboratory animals; however, a disposable aperatus that can be used to repeatedly sample blood from hospitalized patients does not exist. We have designed, fabricated and demonstrated a 3-layered rigid polymer microfluidic blood sampling device with integrated polymer pinch valves for placement in-line between a patient and a saline infusion system. The blood sampler we designed seeks to mitigate sample cross contamination, reduce risks of microbial contamination associated with invasive blood sampling and improve technical ease of blood sampling. Clinical laboratory tests and microfluidic devices for rapid point-of-care-testing (POCT) of patient samples require human sampling procedures for collection of a patient sample at defined time points. The microfluidic sampling device is designed ultimately to be backwards compatible with existing clinical saline infusion protocols and function as a universal front-end blood sampling unit for the variety of microfluidic lab chips and POCT devices.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded in part by grants from Cancer Free Kids (Cincinnati, Ohio) to the University of Cincinnati Nanomedicine UGA Award, Institute for Nanoscale Science and TechnologyThe authors would like to thank Mr. Jeff Simkins of the University of Cincinnati Engineering Research Center Clean Room staff for help in assembling the jig for microfluidic sampler operation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Microsystems and BioMEMS Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Cincinnati, 814 Rhodes Hall, Cincinnati, OH, 45221, USA

    Andrew W. Browne

  2. Physician Scientist Training Program, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, 814 Rhodes Hall, Cincinnati, OH, 45221, USA

    Andrew W. Browne

  3. Microsystems and BioMEMS Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Cincinnati, 814 Rhodes Hall, Cincinnati, OH, 45221, USA

    Chong H. Ahn

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  1. Andrew W. Browne
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  2. Chong H. Ahn
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Correspondence to Andrew W. Browne.

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Supplemental Figure 1

Device function demonstrating 5 samples collected as microfluidic device is rotated inside control module. Device function is presented in numbered sequence and a black dot in each image in the sequence acts as a reference point on the device as it is rotated. (DOCX 573 kb)

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Browne, A.W., Ahn, C.H. An in-line microfluidic blood sampling interface between patients and saline infusion systems. Biomed Microdevices 13, 661–669 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10544-011-9536-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10544-011-9536-4

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