Development of an ultracompact integrated heart-lung assist device for long-term cardiopulmonary support

The purpose of this research is to develop a novel integrated heart-lung assist device which is not only a simple-to-use ultra-compact cardiopulmonary support system but also a system usable for long-term bridge to lung or heart-lung transplantation。The device comprises a centrifugal pump and an artificial lung which is located around the pump to be and all-in-one system。The special polyolefin-made hollow fiber membrane，in which micropores are blind-ended to preclude plasma breakthrough in protracted use and to enable preprimed setup，was developed and employed.This hollow fiber was designed to have a smaller diameter than usual one to obtain effective convective mixing in a extracapillary blood flow fashion.Test lungs consisting of the same membrane well preserved gas-exchange function after3months preprimed storage.The entire blood-contacting surface is treated with newly-developed covalently heparin bonding to impart good antithrombogenicity.Heparin bonded test lungs could be continuously perfused without systemic anticoagulation for as long as 36 days in venoarterial bypass chronic animal study using goats.The third iteration prototype device(diameter：13厘米，height：5厘米，membrane area：1.5米I D 12级D1，priming volume：165 ml)acquired ideal flow condition in the device by realizing sprinkler-like blood flow pattern from the centrifugal pump compartment to the cylindrical artificial lung compartment with circumferentially located diffusers.In vitro and ex vivo evaluation studies，the device demonstrated 5L/min pump output at 200 mm Hg pressure head，and 225ml/min oxygen and 160ml/min carbon dioxide transfer rates at 5L/min blood flow。We conclude that this device has a potentiality to be the next generation cardiopulmonary support system which can be used for long-term without systemic anticoagulation.

The purpose of this research is to develop a novel integrated heart-lung assist device which is not only a simple-to-use ultra-compact cardiopulmonary support system but also a system usable for long-term bridge to lung or heart-lung transplantation. The device comprises a centrifugal pump and an artificial lung which is located around the pump to be and all-in-one system. The special polyolefin-made hollow fiber membrane, in which micropores are blind-ended to preclude plasma breakthrough in protracted use and to enable preprimed setup, was developed and employed. this hollow fiber was designed to have a smaller diameter than usual one to obtain effective convective mixing in a extracapillary blood flow fashion. Test lungs consisting of the same membrane well preserved gas-exchange function after 3 months preprimed storage. The entire blood-contacting surface is treated with newly-developed covalently heparin bonding to impart good antithrombogenicity. Heparin bonded test lungs could be continuously perfused without systemic anticoagulation for as long as 36 days in venoarterial bypass chronic animal study using goats. The third iteration prototype device (diameter: 13 cm, height: 5 cm, membrane area: 1.5 mィイD12ィエD1, priming volume: 165 ml) acquired ideal flow condition in the device by realizing sprinkler-like blood flow pattern from the centrifugal pump compartment to the cylindrical artificial lung compartment with circumferentially located diffusers. In in vitro and ex vivo evaluation studies, the device demonstrated 5 L/min pump output at 200 mm Hg pressure head, and 225 ml/min oxygen and 160 ml/min carbon dioxide transfer rates at 5 L/min blood flow. We conclude that this device has a potentiality to be the next generation cardiopulmonary support system which can be used for long-term without systemic anticoagulation.