Abstract
To control venous return flow during extra corporeal circulation, opening of a venous line was changed with a clamp or an occlusion device. With these procedures, precise control of venous return flow is difficult in lower venous return flow, because the venous line is too small to clamp precisely. To solve this problem, we have devised a wide flat tube as a simple flow regulator for easy and precise control of venous return flow. This regulator showed strong correlations between venous return flow and clamped length (Y=1.06X, r2=0.963) at practical pressure gradient (30-120mmHg) in the mock circulation. Venous return flow was controled proportionally according to change of clamping in vivo test using the pig. This device may be clinically useful, as desired venous return flow will be achieved precisely and easily by clamping at the preset scale of the tube.
