Abstract
Numerical analysis studies for oxygenator have been conducted using a method focused on blood flow calculation, or a method that coupled flow with empirical formula or mass transfer equation. These results of each analysis would be useful information as design indexes for reduction of pressure drop, improvement of thromb-resistant property and enhancement of gas transfer performance to be a prerequisite for miniaturization required for the next generation of oxygenator. However, in most of oxygenators, it is not elucidated that the relationship between thrombus distribution and blood stagnant flow region after long-term use. Furthermore, most of investigations of gas transfer employ simplified numerical analysis method by focusing on oxygen transfer only. In this study, we compared the calculated flow velocity with thrombus distributions after 2 or 5 weeks continuous ECMO use in order to investigate thromb-resistant property, and compared the estimated gas transfer rates using our invented analysis method including reactions with the measured gas transfer rates in a part of oxygenator in order to investigate oxygen and carbon dioxide distributions between blood layer and gas layer.
