Membrane for an oxygenator for gas exchange in the bloodstream, oxygenator having such a membrane, and method for producing such a membrane
Inventors
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11338073-B2
Publication Date
2022-05-24
Expiration Date
Abstract
The invention relates to an oxygenator for gas exchange in the bloodstream, comprising a housing, a first interior chamber for blood arranged in the housing, a second interior chamber for gas arranged in the housing, and a membrane separating the interior chambers. According to the invention, the membrane has a silicone layer and a reinforcing structure reinforcing the silicone layer.
Core Innovation
The disclosed invention relates to a membrane for an oxygenator for gas exchange in a blood-circulation system, where the membrane comprises a silicone layer and a reinforcing structure that reinforces the silicone layer. The membrane is impermeable to liquid but permeable to gas, and the silicone layer comprises silicone rubber. The silicone layer is free from cavities, so that gas exchange is achieved via permeation through the solid, liquid-impermeable silicone layer rather than via cavities or porous pathways.
The reinforcing structure comprises polyether sulfone (PES) and includes reinforcing elements and intervening spaces. The totality of the intervening spaces forms an area available for flow through the reinforcing structure, and a proportion through said area in the reinforcing structure is at least 90% of a total area of the reinforcing structure. The thickness of the silicone layer is smaller than a thickness of the reinforcing structure.
An oxygenator is also described that includes a housing, a first internal chamber for blood, and a second internal chamber for gas, with at least one membrane separating the first internal chamber from the second internal chamber. The oxygenator uses the same type of membrane, including a silicone layer free from cavities and a PES reinforcing structure with reinforcing elements and intervening spaces that provide an available flow area with a through-area proportion of at least 90%.
Claims Coverage
The document provides three independent claims: membrane, oxygenator, and process. Across these claims, the core inventive features are the cavity-free, liquid-impermeable but gas-permeable silicone rubber layer, the PES reinforcing structure with intervening spaces that form an available flow-through area with a through-area proportion of at least 90%, and the silicone-layer thickness being smaller than the reinforcing-structure thickness.
Cavity-free liquid-impermeable, gas-permeable silicone rubber membrane
The membrane is impermeable to liquid but permeable to gas, where the silicone layer comprises silicone rubber and the silicone layer is free from cavities.
PES reinforcing structure with available flow-through area
The reinforcing structure comprises polyether sulfone (PES), wherein the reinforcing structure comprises reinforcing elements and intervening spaces, and wherein the totality of the intervening spaces forms an area available for flow through the reinforcing structure, with a proportion through said area of at least 90% of a total area of the reinforcing structure.
Silicone layer thickness smaller than reinforcing structure thickness
A thickness of the silicone layer is smaller than a thickness of the reinforcing structure.
Oxygenator housing with blood and gas chambers separated by the membrane
An oxygenator for gas exchange in a blood-circulation system comprises a housing, a first internal chamber for blood, a second internal chamber for gas, and at least one membrane arranged to separate the first internal chamber from the second internal chamber.
Process producing a homogeneous cavity-free reinforced membrane using silicone dispersion embedding and crosslinking
A process for producing a membrane comprises providing a silicone layer and a reinforcing structure, using a silicone dispersion to embed the reinforcing structure in the silicone layer, and crosslinking the silicone dispersion to give a homogeneous silicone layer into which the reinforcing structure has been embedded.
Across the independent claims, the invention centers on a cavity-free silicone rubber layer that is liquid-impermeable and gas-permeable, reinforced by a PES reinforcing structure whose reinforcing elements are separated by intervening spaces that together provide an available flow area with a through-area proportion of at least 90%, while maintaining a silicone layer thickness smaller than the reinforcing structure thickness.
Stated Advantages
Avoids plasma leakage and blood penetration associated with porous or cavity membranes, by using a cavity-free silicone layer that is impermeable to liquid but permeable to gas.
Documented Applications
An oxygenator for gas exchange in a blood-circulation system that includes a housing with a first internal blood chamber and a second internal gas chamber separated by the disclosed membrane.
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