the present invention consists generally of a fixed 3 - dimensional array of fibers contained within a housing , which provides for a continuous flow of fluid through the housing with maximum contact between fluid and fibers . further it is a property of this device that specific bioactive effector molecules can be bound to the fibers thus to allow the effector molecules to contact target components of the fluid and thus alter the composition of the fluid . the art of attaching biologically active molecules to insoluble materials is well known . the specific insoluble materials applicable to the present invention are defined by several criteria : ( 1 ) the material must be able to be formed into fibers strong enough for processing into a three - dimensional array ; ( 2 ) the fibers must be essentially insoluble under neutral aqueous conditions ; ( 3 ) the fibers should possess a smooth nonporous surface to reduce blood damage and decrease nonspecific adsorption ; ( 4 ) the fibers must release no toxic substances or fragments into the aqueous media percolating through them ; ( 5 ) the degree of biocompatibility of the fiber composition should be commensurate with the intended application . for long - term or chronic applications in hemoperfusion , the fiber must cause no irreversible cumulative deleterious alterations of the quantity or vital capacity of circulating species . in short - term or emergency applications , the fibers need only permit efficient passage of heparinized or otherwise anticoagulated blood without the occurrence of thrombosis or hemolysis beyond the limits of the patient &# 39 ; s vital capacity . ( 6 ) the fibers employed must exhibit properties which will allow the nonreversible attachment or englobement of the active species . the preferred fibers would be those shown to be substantially compatible for implantation within the body . such fibers may be chosen from one of the following categories : ( 1 ) substances of biological origin or products arising from them , i . e ., cellulose , perfluoroethyl cellulose , cellulose triacetate , cellulose acetate , nitrocellulose , dextran , chitin , collagen , fibrin , elastin , keratin , crosslinked soluble proteins , polymerized soluble organic species of biological origin ( polylactic acid , polylysine , nucleic acids ), silk , rubber , starch , and hydroxyethyl starch ; ( 2 ) heterochain synthetic polymers , such as polyamides , polyesters , polyethers , polyurethanes , polycarbonates , and silicones ; ( 3 ) hydrocarbon polymers such as polyethylene , polypropylene , polyisoprenes , polystyrenes , polyacrylics such as polyacrylamide , polymethacrylate , vinyl polymers such a polyvinylacetate , and halogenated hydrocarbon plastics such as polyvinylcholoride , polyfluorocarbons like teflon , fluorocarbon copolymers and polychlorotrifluoroethylene ; ( 4 ) inorganic fibers such as fiberglass . the above examples of polymers vary widely in their blood compatibility . several techniques have been described , however , which modify the blood compatibility of otherwise unacceptable materials , among these are coating the materials with more compatible substances ( e . g . u . s . pat . no . 4 , 073 , 723 ) or with antithrombogenic substances such as heparin . fiber dimension and the specific 3 - dimensional array of fibers within the cartridge will determine the flow properties , available polymer surface area , and priming volume exhibited by the device . the last two conditions will be optimized when the fiber diameter is at the minimum value yielding sufficient strength and when the fiber array is chosen to yield a maximally compact bed . the flow properties will be affected in the opposite manner to that of available surface area and priming volume . these conditions must then be adjusted in order to optimize the overall efficiency with minimal blood damage . the deployment of the fixed fiber array between the inlet and outlet of the cartridge jacket may be chosen from innumerable configurations . among the more convenient configurations are the following . ( 1 ) deployment of fibers by winding about the outlet or inlet port . such configurations may possess cylindrical symmetry about a tubular port having means for influx or efflux of fluid along the length of the tube . in another possible configuration of wound fibers , the fibers may be wound with spherical symmetry about a single central port . ( 2 ) in cartridges wherein the fluid flows axially through the cartridge , the fibers may be deployed parallel to the direction of flow , being attached at each end of the cartridge . another configuration employing an axial flow cartridge may have the fibers deployed transversely to the flow of blood by attachment of the fibers to the lateral portions of the cartridge . a combination of parallel and transverse configuration may also be employed in which the fibers may be attached at both the ends and the lateral portions of the cartridge thus deployed in an interwoven fashion . fibers may be deployed as monofilaments or as multifilament yarns , and the device may contain one continuous fiber or numerous fibers . it is required only that the configuration of the cartridge housing and fiber deployment be consistent with fluid dynamics , compatible with minimal damage to the formed fluid components perfused through the device . these restrictions are well known to those skilled in the art . the highly specific effector molecules having activity toward biological fluid components of endogenous or exogenous origin , and being attached to the fibers within the device , may be selected from one or more of the following species . the molecules may be all or a fragment of an antibody , antigen , allergin , complement factor , clotting factor , enzyme , substrate of an enzyme , cell surface receptor molecule , vaccine , enzyme inhibitor , hormone , tissue homogenate , purified protein , toxin , nucleic acid , polysaccharide , lipid , intact cell , microcapsule , liposome , polymer , antibiotic , chemotherapeutic agent , therapeutic drug , organic species having high affinity for a specific biological fluid component , or an inorganic species having high affinity for specific biological fluid component . the chosen effector molecule may be bound to the device by means well known to those skilled in the art , particularly for immobilized enzymes ( e . g . u . s . pat . no . 4 , 031 , 201 ), affinity chromatography ( e . g . u . s . pat . no . 3 , 652 , 761 ), solid phase immunoassay ( e . g . u . s . pat . no . 4 , 059 , 685 ), bonded stationary phase chromatography hemoperfusion ( e . g . u . s . pat . no . 3 , 865 , 726 ), enzyme - linked immune - sorbant assay , cell labeling and separating , and hemodialysis ( e . g . canadian pat . no . 957 , 922 ). attachment of the effector molecule to the fibers may be performed during polymer preparation , fiber spinning , just prior to placement of said fibers into the cartridge , or following the deployment of the fibers in the cartridge . cartridges may be stored dry after lyophilization or filled with a buffer containing antimicrobial agents . sterilization of the device may be performed prior to the incorporation of the active species onto the fibers with all subsequent steps performed with sterile reagents , or sterilization may be performed following the incorporation . the assembled cartridge is composed of a glass or plastic jacket 1 , capped at one end by a circular glass or plastic disk 2 , and at its other end by a similar disk 2a . the disk 2 has at its center a cylindrical exit port 3 . the jacket and cap have raised elements in the form of ribs 4 allowing for the unhindered axial flow of fluid along the suface of the jacket and cap , and allowing the exit thereof via the port . within the jacket is a spool of fiber 5 , helically wound about a glass or plastic spindle 6 . the spindle and fiber fill the entire volume of the jacket with the exception of the space between ribs . fig2 shows the spindle 6 which is a glass or plastic rod which is conical at its base 7 and is slotted along its length as at 8 . the rod is fitted at its top into a conical port 10 , which is attached to the circular spindle cap of like composition 2a . the diameter of the cap is chosen so that it makes a tight fit with the jacket and forms a sealed vessel when the spindle is inserted into the jacket . the external surface of the spindle cap has affixed to it a cylindrical entrance port 11 which is opposed to the conical port 10 and has an internal diameter which allows access of fluid passing through it to the slots 8 of the spindle 6 . furthermore , the conical bases of the spindle is of dimensions such that placement of the spindle base into the exit port results in contact of the spindle only with the ribs 4 of the jacket cap . this allows the fluids which accumulate between the ribs to exit through the lumen between the conical base 7 of the spindle 6 and the exit port 3 . thus , when the spindle is wound with a fiber , the flux of fluids entering through the device is that denoted by the arrows in fig1 . the fiber wound about the spindle is a monofilament having a diameter in the range 0 . 05 to 2 . 0 mm . it is composed of hydroxyethyl cellulose ( hec ). following the incorporation of the wound spindle into the housing , the device is sealed and filled with dioxane containing 20 % of hexamethylenediisocyanate . the fibers are allowed to stand for 48 hours at room temperature and are then washed with distilled water . this operation generates a fiber coil exhibiting covalently bound primary amines on its surface . the distilled water is then replaced by an aqueous solution containing 0 . 25 % of igg and 1 % of water - soluble carbodimide , ph 5 . 5 . the igg may have been acylated to eliminate endogenous primary amines . following 24 hours of exposure to this solution , the device is washed exhaustively with distilled water and sterilized for use in in vivo perfusion applications . modifications may be made in details of the invention and therefore no limitation which is not specifically set forth in the claims is intended and no such limitation should be implied .
a hemoperfusion device is disclosed for the specific modification or removal of components of whole blood . the device involves a 3 - dimensional arrangement of fibers within a housing arranged to provide maximum exposed fiber surface and flow - channel diameter , while also reducing the tortuosity of the flow path . desired effector molecules are bound to the fibers to allow them to contact the target components of the blood , whereby to remove the target components . details of the fiber and effector molecules are disclosed and a specific device is described .