Current progress in the development of an intravenous membrane oxygenator.
In vitro testing of an intravenous membrane oxygenator (IMO) consisting of hollow fiber membranes arranged around a centrally positioned balloon is reported. A total of six IMO prototypes were mounted in a specially designed mock circulatory loop and perfused with physiologic saline or fresh abattoir ox blood to investigate their oxygen and carbon dioxide transfer capabilities. One IMO prototype was mounted in the flow loop and perfused with saline for 13 continuous days to test the durability and reliability of the prototype design. It is the authors' hypothesis that the rhythmic inflation and deflation of the balloon increases convective mixing and cross-flow of blood around the fibers, thereby enhancing gas exchange capabilities. The results of these trials support this contention, namely that gas exchange efficiency rose with increasing frequency of balloon pulsation. No significant deterioration in oxygen transfer was observed in the durability test prototype, which was continuously perfused with saline for 13 days.
Reeder
G D
GD
Electromedics, Inc., Englewood, CO 80112.
Hattler
B G
BG
Rawleigh
J
J
Walters
F R
FR
Sawzik
P J
PJ
Lund
L W
LW
Klain
M
M
Goode
J S
JS
Borovetz
H S
HS
D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010107:Oxygenators, Membrane; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D011673:Pulsatile Flow / Q000502:physiology; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior
D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D010100:Oxygen