Gas exchange unit
Inventors
Marseille, Oliver • Nobis, Andreas • Nötzel, Stefan • Hesselmann, Felix
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12280192-B2
Publication Date
2025-04-22
Expiration Date
Abstract
Gas exchange unit comprising an inlet that is acentrically slanted, and a method for producing a gas exchange unit.
Core Innovation
The gas exchange unit is configured for enriching blood with oxygen and removing carbon dioxide from the blood, and includes a plurality of hollow fiber mats arranged within a casing comprising an inlet casing. The inlet is coupled to the inlet casing in an acentric position and has a slanted orientation configured to cause the blood to flow in a rotational direction, and the design is intended to promote homogeneous distribution of blood through the gas exchange unit.
The inlet casing comprises one or more surface structures coupled to an inner blood conveying surface. The one or more surface structures comprises vane-shaped structures of different sizes, and the described inlet-casing inner surface structures additionally include different structural types and sizes, such as bridge-shaped structures and cross members/stabilizers, and slanted potting transitions for edge performance.
The gas exchange unit further includes a centrally arranged ventilation device, in which an operating condition is switchable using an adjustment element and a closure piston. The ventilation device is coupled to an underpressure source and enables different operating conditions, including a flushing mode and a cavity ventilation mode, based on the piston position.
Claims Coverage
Independent claim clm-00001 covers a gas exchange unit with multiple hollow fiber mats and an inlet designed to induce rotational blood flow from an acentric, slanted inlet position, combined with inlet-casing inner surface structures having vane-shaped structures of different sizes arranged to achieve substantially homogeneous and consistent flow through the gas exchange unit. The claim set therefore centers on 3 inventive features: the acentric slanted rotational inlet, the coupled inlet-casing surface structures, and the resulting substantially homogeneous, consistent flow for better oxygen enrichment and carbon dioxide removal.
Acentric slanted inlet for rotational blood flow
The inlet is coupled to the inlet casing in an acentric position and has a slanted orientation configured to cause the blood to flow in a rotational direction.
Inlet-casing surface structures with vane-shaped different sizes
The inlet casing comprises one or more surface structures coupled to an inner blood conveying surface of the inlet casing, wherein the one or more surface structures comprises vane-shaped structures of different sizes.
Substantially homogeneous, consistent flow for gas exchange performance
The vane-shaped structures of different sizes are configured to cause a substantially homogeneous blood flow through inlet casing and configured to cause a consistent, homogeneous flow through the gas exchange unit for better enriching blood with oxygen and removing carbon dioxide from the blood.
Ventilation device with switchable operating conditions
A ventilation device is provided that can be switched between operating conditions, including a first operating condition for flushing and/or ventilating, and a second operating condition for preventing ventilation of a cavity of the gas exchange unit in one condition while enabling it in another.
Closure piston switching ventilation operating conditions
The ventilation device includes a closure piston configured to switch between a first position realizing a first operating condition and a second position realizing a second operating condition.
Outlet with deflection
The gas exchange unit includes an outlet with a deflection.
The claim coverage emphasizes an acentric, diagonally slanted inlet that induces rotational blood flow, combined with inlet-casing surface structures that include vane-shaped structures of different sizes. These features are claimed to generate substantially homogeneous and consistent blood flow through the gas exchange unit for better enriching blood with oxygen and removing carbon dioxide from the blood, with further optional claim refinements directed to switchable ventilation modes using a closure piston and to outlet deflection.
Stated Advantages
Better enriching blood with oxygen and removing carbon dioxide from the blood.
Substantially homogeneous blood flow and consistent, homogeneous flow through the gas exchange unit.
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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