A Proposal for the Measurement Method of Plasma Component Leakage and Blood Cell Component Leakage in Mechanical Seals under Blood Sealing

Abstract

This study proposes the measurement method of plasma component leakage and blood cell component leakage in a mechanical seal which separates blood from the cooling water in a rotary blood pump. In the previous method, the blood leakage was obtained by measuring the change in the sodium ion concentration in the cooling water. The proportion of the plasma component leakage to the blood cell component leakage in the blood leakage was assumed to equal that in the sealed blood. In the present method, however, each leakage is obtained by measuring the variations in the sodium ion concentration and the potassium ion concentration in the cooling water. This study shows that both leakages increase with the time and that the plasma component leakage is larger than the blood cell component leakage in the three-hour measurement. Additionally, the proportion of blood cell component leakage in the blood leakage gradually increases. The present study demonstrates the leakage characteristics of the mechanical seal under blood sealing.