Arrangement with a blood pump and a gas exchanger for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
Inventors
Assignees
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-9974897-B2
Publication Date
2018-05-22
Expiration Date
Abstract
The invention relates to an arrangement having a blood pump and a gas exchanger for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. According to the invention, the blood pump is designed as a pulsatile blood pump and is arranged with the gas exchanger in the same housing. The pulsatile blood pump and the gas exchanger are preferably connected to the same gas source so that the blood pump can be pneumatically driven. The novel ECMO system has a simple design, is flexible, and in particular can be used directly on the patient.
Core Innovation
The disclosed concept provides a housing for pumping blood and performing gas exchange. The housing includes a blood inlet, a blood outlet, a blood pump with an expandable member, and a gas exchanger, together with a gas exchange gas inlet and a pumping gas inlet.
An external gas source is connected to the pumping gas inlet to drive the expandable member of the blood pump and to deliver blood from the blood inlet to the gas exchanger. The external gas source is also connected to the gas exchange gas inlet to oxygenate the blood and/or reduce CO2 within the gas exchanger.
Gas is first delivered to the pump, and at least a portion of the gas is then delivered from the pump to the oxygenator. In the described ECMO arrangement, this enables a combined delivery of driving gas for the blood pump together with gas exchange functionality within a compact, transportable configuration.
The system is described as emphasizing reduced complexity and flexibility, short direct patient cannula connections, less thrombus formation, and the omission of certain conventional components such as reservoirs and filters. The document also describes internal structural options for the pump and gas exchanger within a single housing, including different balloon and diaphragm configurations and multiple membrane fiber bundle geometries.
Claims Coverage
The provided material includes two independent method claims. Both claims focus on a housing-based ECMO operation in which an external gas source drives a gas-driven blood pump and also supports oxygenation and/or CO2 reduction in the gas exchanger, with gas flowing from the pump to the oxygenator.
Gas-driven blood pumping and gas exchange in a housing
A housing is provided having a blood inlet, a blood outlet, a blood pump comprising an expandable member, a gas exchanger, a gas exchange gas inlet, and a pumping gas inlet; blood is connected between a first portion and a second portion of the patient's vasculature; and the expandable member of the blood pump is driven by an external gas source.
External gas used for oxygenation and/or CO2 reduction
The external gas source is connected to the gas exchange gas inlet to oxygenate the blood and/or reduce CO2 within the gas exchanger while the blood is delivered from the blood inlet to the gas exchanger.
Driving gas routed from the pump to the oxygenator
Gas is first delivered to the pump and at least a portion of the gas is then delivered from the pump to the oxygenator.
Driving gas portion oxygenates and/or reduces CO2 in the gas exchanger
At least a portion of the gas that drives the blood pump is used to oxygenate and/or reduce CO2 in the blood within the gas exchanger.
Across the independent claims, the core inventive theme is a single housing method for pumping blood with a gas-driven blood pump using an expandable member, combined with oxygenation and/or CO2 reduction in a gas exchanger, where gas is delivered first to the pump and at least part of that gas is then delivered from the pump to the oxygenator.
Stated Advantages
Reduced complexity and flexibility (described).
Less thrombus formation (described).
Enables short, direct patient cannula connections (described).
Efficient gas utilization via a single-line gas supply (described).
Documented Applications
ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) operation using a compact, transportable ECMO system with oxygenation and CO2 reduction.
Interested in licensing this patent?