Carbon dioxide removal from whole blood by photolytic activation

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for removing carbon dioxide from whole blood. Hydrogen ions are generated from water in the blood, resulting in the formation and release of carbon dioxide from the blood.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 130,047, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,399,717. The disclosure of this application is hereby fully incorporated by reference.[0002]This application is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 10 / 485,455; 10 / 485,476; and, 10 / 485,934, all filed on Jan. 30, 2004. The disclosures of those applications are also fully incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND[0003]The present disclosure, in various embodiments, is directed to a photolytic apparatus that utilizes light energy to achieve physiological gas exchange in whole blood, such as in the blood stream of a patient experiencing respiratory difficulties, whole blood utilized to transport organs, etc., and to a photolytic cell or module used for the same. The disclosure finds particular applications in conjunction with the field of artificial organs and the medical arts. However, it is to be appreciated, that the embodi...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]Disclosed herein, in various embodiments, is a process and apparatus for using photolytic energy to generate dissolved oxygen from whole blood, thus providing an increase of oxyhemoglobin as a function of the metal oxide (i.e., TiO2) surface illumination. In one embodiment, the disclosure includes flowing mixed arterial-venous whole blood in a recirculating loop in a device having a nanocrystalline metal oxide TiO2 thin film. Following light exposure of the metal oxide or TiO2 film only (while not exposing the blood to the light), the fraction of oxy-hemoglobin in the blood rapidly increases and remains substantially stable thereafter. The fraction of dissolved oxygen contained in the serum phase of the blood increases in a parallel manner with oxyhemoglobin as a result of light induction, indicating that near complete oxygenation of the blood's hemoglobin content has been achieved. The present disclosure demonstrates that it is feasible to photolytically oxygenate the hemoglobin contained in whole blood with oxygen derived from the blood's own water content by only providing energy at mild conditions.

Problems solved by technology

This is largely due to a lack of emerging treatments, and inadequate technology for providing intermediate (“bridge” therapy) or long-term respiratory support.

However, none are believed, to this point, to provide sufficient yield, safety, and ease of use to support broad clinical deployment.

However, the large discrepancy between the numbers of donors and recipients, the low yield of usable lungs, and the absence of temporizing methods for patients awaiting transplantation, make this option outside the reach of many patients.

The principal weakness, however, of these systems is that they require the presence of major diffusion boundary layers, which results in slowed mass transport and the need for a large surface area to achieve sufficient flux of gases.

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