DEVELOPMENT OF A NOVEL INTEGRATED HEART-LUNG ASSIST DEVICE FOR EMERGENCY AND PROLONGED CARDIOPULMONARY SUPPORT.

Abstract

We have been developing a novel integrated heart-lung assist device usable for both emergency and prolonged cardiopulmonary support. The device comprises centrifugal pump and artificial lung components. The lung component, made of a special membrane which precludes plasma leakage in protracted use and enables preprimed setup, is located around the pump component to be a free-of-assembly ultracompact all-in-one system. Heparin is covalently bonded on the device's entire blood-contacting surface to impart good antithrombogenicity. Test lungs consisting of the same membrane preserved sufficient gas-exchange function after 3 months of preprimed storage. Heparin bonded test lungs could be continuously perfused without systemic anticoagulation for as long as 36 days in venoarterial bypass animal study using goats. The prototype device (diameter: 132 mm, height: 54 mm, membrane area: 0.85 m², priming volume: 180 ml) demonstrated a 9 L/min pump output at 400 mmHg pressure head, and 180 ml/min oxygen and 110 ml/min carbon dioxide transfer rates at 5 L/min blood flow. We conclude that this device has the potential to become the next generation of cardiopulmonary support systems.