Artificial lung

Abstract

To provide an artificial lung of a novel structure capable of stably oxygenating blood and securing safety against contamination of the blood with air bubbles.SOLUTION: In an artificial lung 10, in a use state, a gas inlet port 52 introducing supply gas into a gas passage 66 in a housing 12 is provided in an upper wall part of the housing 12, a gas outlet port 50 leading exhaust gas from the gas passage 66 is provided in a lower wall part of the housing 12, a blood inlet port 28 introducing blood into a gas exchange area 56 in the housing 12 is provided in a first side wall part 22 of the housing 12, a blood outlet port 40 leading the blood from the gas exchange area 56 is provided in a second side wall part 34 facing the first side wall part 22 of the housing 12, and the blood outlet port 40 is located in a vertically intermediate part of the second side wall part 34. The second side wall part 34 is provided with a tapered outlet side guide part 38 converged toward the blood outlet port 40.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an oxygenator used for extracorporeal circulation during cardiac surgery under cardiac arrest. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, oxygenators have been known that are used to oxygenate blood by performing gas exchange with blood in extracorporeal circulation. The oxygenator has a gas exchange membrane made of hollow fibers or the like disposed in a gas exchange region provided within a housing, and oxygen is supplied to the blood flowing outside the hollow fibers from a supply gas introduced inside the hollow fibers. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] In some oxygenators, the gas inlet port through which supply gas is introduced from the outside into the gas exchange region is formed in the upper wall of the housing to prevent water droplets from accumulating in the gas inlet port or in the lumen of the hollow fibers during condensation, and the supply gas is introduced downward from the upper end of the housing. In such oxygenators, blood is more easily oxygenated in the upper part near the gas inlet port, and less easily oxygenated in the lower part farther from the gas inlet port.

[0004] However, if the blood outlet port is simply provided at the upper end of the housing to extract the upper blood, which is more easily oxygenated, there is a risk that if air bubbles are mixed into the blood, the air bubbles will rise due to buoyancy and be expelled from the blood outlet port by the blood flow.Furthermore, if only the upper blood is extracted from the blood outlet port, the lower blood, which is less easily oxygenated, may stagnate in the gas exchange area.

[0005] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an artificial lung of a novel structure that can stably oxygenate blood and ensure safety against the inclusion of air bubbles in the blood. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The following describes preferred embodiments for understanding the present invention, but the embodiments described below are merely examples and may be appropriately combined with one another. Multiple components described in each embodiment may be recognized and employed independently to the greatest extent possible, and may also be appropriately combined with any of the components described in other embodiments. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below, and various other embodiments may be realized.

[0007] In a first aspect, the oxygenator comprises a housing having a gas exchange region therein, a gas exchange membrane contained in the gas exchange region of the housing and forming a gas flow path, a gas inlet port for introducing a supply gas containing oxygen into the gas flow path, a gas outlet port for discharging an exhaust gas containing carbon dioxide from the gas flow path, a blood inlet port for introducing blood into the gas exchange region of the housing, and a blood outlet port for discharging blood from the gas exchange region of the housing. In a state of use, the gas inlet port is provided in an upper wall portion of the housing, the gas outlet port is provided in a lower wall portion of the housing, the blood inlet port is provided in a first side wall portion of the housing, and the blood outlet port is provided in a second side wall portion of the housing opposite the first side wall portion, and the blood outlet port is located in the vertical middle portion of the second side wall portion of the housing. The second side wall portion of the housing on which the blood outlet port is provided is provided with a tapered outlet guide portion that converges toward the blood outlet port.

[0008] In an artificial lung constructed in accordance with this aspect, the blood outlet port is located in the middle of the upper and lower parts of the housing, so that even if air gets mixed into the blood, the air will rise above the blood outlet port due to buoyancy and tend to remain within the housing, making it less likely to be expelled to the outside through the blood outlet port.

[0009] The tapered outlet guide portion that converges toward the blood outlet port allows a wider range of blood to flow into the blood outlet port and be discharged to the outside, thereby achieving a uniform oxygen partial pressure in the blood discharged from the blood outlet port.

[0010] For example, if the blood outlet port is located above the blood inlet port, blood entering through the blood inlet port flows toward the blood outlet port, creating a downward-to-upward blood flow. This facilitates agitation of blood in the gas exchange region, and blood is more efficiently oxygenated in the gas exchange region where oxygen is supplied from the upper gas port. Furthermore, if the blood inlet port is located below, air entrainment due to a head difference is less likely to occur when priming solution is introduced into the housing through the blood inlet port.

[0011] Furthermore, if the blood inlet port is located in the vertical center, like the blood outlet port, it is less likely that an area within the housing will be extremely far from the blood inlet port compared to when the port is located at the vertical end, and therefore blood can circulate throughout the entire housing without creating a strong flow of blood within the housing.

[0012] A second aspect is an oxygenator according to the first aspect, wherein the gas exchange membrane is compressed between the first side wall portion and the second side wall portion and fixed to the housing.

[0013] In an oxygenator constructed according to this aspect, for example, the peripheral portion of the gas exchange membrane is compressed relative to the housing, making it difficult for blood to flow to the peripheral portion of the gas exchange region, preventing short-circuiting of blood through the portion of the gas exchange region where the gas exchange membrane is not present. As a result, blood flows efficiently through the portion of the gas exchange region where the gas exchange membrane is present, thereby improving gas exchange efficiency.

[0014] In a third aspect, in the oxygenator described in the first or second aspect, a temperature control area is provided inside the housing, a temperature regulator that controls the temperature of the blood is arranged in the temperature control area, and the temperature regulator is compressed between the first side wall portion and the second side wall portion and fixed to the housing.

[0015] In an oxygenator constructed according to this aspect, for example, the peripheral portion of the temperature regulator is compressed relative to the housing, making it difficult for blood to flow to the peripheral portion of the temperature-regulated region, preventing short-circuiting of blood through the portion of the temperature-regulated region where the temperature regulator is not present. As a result, blood flows efficiently through the portion of the temperature-regulated region where the temperature regulator is present, improving heat exchange efficiency.

[0016] In a fourth aspect, in the oxygenator according to any one of the first to third aspects, the blood inlet port is located in a lower part of the first side wall portion.

[0017] In an oxygenator constructed according to this aspect, the blood outlet port is located above the blood inlet port, and blood entering through the blood inlet port flows toward the blood outlet port, creating a downward-to-upward blood flow. This facilitates agitation of blood in the gas exchange region, and blood is more efficiently oxygenated in the gas exchange region where oxygen is supplied from the upper gas inlet port.

[0018] Furthermore, since the blood inlet port is located at the bottom of the first side wall portion, the head is small when the priming solution is introduced into the housing from the blood inlet port, making it less likely that air will be entrained.

[0019] In a fifth aspect, in the artificial lung described in the fourth aspect, an inlet-side guide fin protrudes from the inner surface of the first side wall portion where the blood inlet port is provided, and extends upward from the opening of the blood inlet port.

[0020] In an oxygenator constructed according to this aspect, blood entering through the blood inlet port located at the bottom is guided by the guide fins and directed upward, where it is easily stirred, thereby stabilizing the oxygen partial pressure of the blood discharged from the blood outlet port.

[0021] In a sixth aspect, in an artificial lung described in any one of the first to fifth aspects, the blood inlet port extends parallel to the gas exchange membrane and is connected to the gas exchange region via a tapered inlet side guide portion provided in the first side wall portion, and the blood outlet port extends parallel to the gas exchange membrane and is connected to the gas exchange region via the outlet side guide portion provided in the second side wall portion.

[0022] The oxygenator constructed in this manner facilitates blood flow parallel to the gas exchange membrane from the blood inlet port to the blood outlet port, which facilitates uniform blood flow throughout the gas exchange region. This reduces variations in oxygen partial pressure in the blood drawn from the housing, enabling a stable supply of blood with a predetermined oxygen partial pressure to the patient.

[0023] In a seventh aspect, in an artificial lung described in any one of the first to sixth aspects, the blood inlet port is provided at one end of the first side wall portion and the blood outlet port is provided at the other end of the second side wall portion in a direction parallel to the gas exchange membrane.

[0024] In an oxygenator constructed according to this aspect, blood introduced through the blood inlet port is dispersed over a wide area along the gas exchange membrane and introduced into the housing. Furthermore, a wide area of blood is discharged from the blood outlet port along the gas exchange membrane. This reduces variations in oxygen partial pressure and other factors in the blood discharged from the housing, enabling a stable supply of blood with a predetermined oxygen partial pressure to the patient.

[0025] In an eighth aspect, in an artificial lung described in any one of the first to seventh aspects, a temperature control region for controlling the temperature of blood is provided inside the housing, a temperature control fluid inlet port for introducing a temperature control fluid into the temperature control region is provided in the housing, and a temperature control fluid outlet port for discharging the temperature control fluid from the temperature control region is provided in the housing, and in a state of use, the blood inlet port and the blood outlet port are positioned above both the temperature control fluid inlet port and the temperature control fluid outlet port.

[0026] With an oxygenator constructed according to this aspect, even if the temperature control fluid leaks from the temperature control fluid inlet port or the temperature control fluid outlet port, the leaked temperature control fluid can be prevented from coming into contact with the blood inlet port and the blood outlet port, thereby preventing contamination of the blood flow path and keeping the blood flow path clean.

[0027] In a ninth aspect, in an oxygenator described in any one of the first to eighth aspects, the housing has a flat shape with a short axis direction, and a temperature control region for regulating the temperature of the blood provided inside the housing is arranged next to the gas exchange region in the short axis direction of the housing.

[0028] In an oxygenator constructed according to this aspect, the temperature control region and the gas exchange region have large cross-sectional areas in the direction perpendicular to the minor axis of the housing, which allows efficient temperature control in the temperature control region and efficient gas exchange in the gas exchange region for blood flowing through the housing in the minor axis direction.

[0029] In a tenth aspect, in an oxygenator described in any one of the first to ninth aspects, a plurality of heat transfer tubes are provided in a temperature control area for adjusting the temperature of blood provided inside the housing, and a corrugated stirring plate that undulates in the longitudinal direction is inserted into the inner cavity of the heat transfer tubes.

[0030] In an oxygenator constructed in accordance with this embodiment, the temperature-controlling fluid flowing through the heat transfer tube is turbulent due to the agitator plate, thereby improving the efficiency of heat exchange between the blood and the temperature-controlling fluid.

[0031] An eleventh aspect is an artificial lung described in any one of the first to tenth aspects, wherein the housing has a third side wall portion extending in the longitudinal direction of the gas flow path, and the housing has a first resin layer fixing both ends of the outer surface of the gas exchange membrane to the housing, and a second resin layer interposed between the third side wall portion and the gas exchange membrane.

[0032] In an oxygenator constructed according to this aspect, both ends of the outer peripheral surface of the gas exchange membrane are fixed to the housing by the first resin layer in the direction of blood flow, and a second resin layer is interposed between the gas exchange membrane and the housing in the direction perpendicular to the direction of blood flow, which prevents blood from flowing along the inner surface of the housing so as to short-circuit between the gas exchange membrane and the housing, allowing blood to flow efficiently within the internal region of the gas exchange membrane.

[0033] In a twelfth aspect, in the oxygenator according to the eleventh aspect, the second resin layer is provided in the gas exchange region so as to extend in the longitudinal direction of the gas flow path.

[0034] In an artificial lung constructed according to this embodiment, the second resin layer extends in the longitudinal direction of the gas flow path and is provided to a predetermined length, so that the flow of blood between the gas exchange membrane and the housing is prevented over a wide area by the second resin layer, and short-circuiting of blood between the gas exchange membrane and the housing can be effectively prevented by the second resin layer.

[0035] A thirteenth aspect is an oxygenator comprising: a housing having a gas exchange region therein; a gas exchange membrane contained in the gas exchange region of the housing to form a gas flow path; a gas inlet port for introducing a supply gas containing oxygen into the gas flow path; a gas outlet port for discharging an exhaust gas containing carbon dioxide from the gas flow path; a blood inlet port for introducing blood into the gas exchange region of the housing; and a blood outlet port for discharging blood from the gas exchange region of the housing; wherein, in a state of use, the gas inlet port is provided in an upper wall portion of the housing, the gas outlet port is provided in a lower wall portion of the housing, and the blood inlet port is provided in a first side wall portion of the housing. The blood outlet port is provided in the vertical center portion of a second side wall portion opposite the first side wall portion of the housing, the first side wall portion of the housing on which the blood inlet port is provided is provided with a tapered inlet side guide portion that converges toward the blood inlet port, and the second side wall portion of the housing on which the blood outlet port is provided is provided with a tapered outlet side guide portion that converges toward the blood outlet port, the inlet side tube connected to the blood inlet port inclines upward toward the blood inlet port, and the outlet side tube connected to the blood outlet port inclines upward toward the blood outlet port.

[0036] In an oxygenator constructed according to this aspect, the provision of a tapered inlet guide portion converging toward the blood inlet port allows blood introduced into the housing from the blood inlet port to diffuse over a wide area within the housing along the inlet guide portion. This allows the blood to come into contact with the gas exchange membrane over a wider area, improving the efficiency of gas exchange. Furthermore, the provision of a tapered outlet guide portion converging toward the blood outlet port allows a wider area of blood to flow into the blood outlet port and be discharged to the outside. This allows for a more uniform oxygen partial pressure in the blood discharged from the blood outlet port.

[0037] Since the blood inlet and outlet ports are both located in the vertical center, it is less likely that areas within the housing will be extremely far from the blood inlet and outlet ports compared to when the ports are located at the vertical ends, and therefore blood can circulate throughout the entire housing without creating a strong flow of blood within the housing.

[0038] The inlet tube connected to the blood inlet port is inclined upward toward the blood inlet port, and the outlet tube connected to the blood outlet port is inclined upward toward the blood outlet port, which facilitates blood flow in the upper part of the housing. This allows sufficient blood to flow to the upper part of the housing, where blood is likely to be difficult to guide due to gravity, and increases the effective contact area of the blood with the gas exchange membrane, thereby improving gas exchange efficiency. In particular, since the gas inlet port is provided in the upper wall of the housing and the upper part of the housing has high gas exchange efficiency, facilitating blood guidance to the upper part of the housing advantageously improves gas exchange efficiency. [Effects of the Invention]

[0039] According to the present invention, in an artificial lung, blood can be stably oxygenated and safety can be ensured against the inclusion of air bubbles in the blood. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0040] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an oxygenator according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the oxygenator shown in FIG. 1 from a different angle. [Figure 3] Front view of the oxygenator shown in Figure 1 [Figure 4] Figure 3 shows a rear view of the oxygenator [Figure 5] Plan view of the oxygenator shown in Figure 3 [Figure 6] Bottom view of the oxygenator shown in Figure 3 [Figure 7] Left side view of the oxygenator shown in Figure 1 [Figure 8]Right side view of the oxygenator shown in Figure 1 [Figure 9] IX-IX cross section of Figure 3 [Figure 10] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a first wall member constituting the oxygenator shown in FIG. 3; [Figure 11] 11 is a rear view of the first wall member shown in FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second wall member constituting the oxygenator shown in FIG. 3; [Figure 13] 13 is a front view of the second wall member shown in FIG. 12 [Figure 14] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an oxygenator according to a second embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view of a heat transfer tube constituting an oxygenator according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0041] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0042] 1 to 9 show an oxygenator 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The oxygenator 10 includes a housing 12. In the following description, the up-down direction generally refers to the vertical direction in FIG. 3, which is the height direction of the housing 12; the front-rear direction generally refers to the horizontal direction in FIG. 7, which is the thickness direction of the housing 12; and the left-right direction generally refers to the horizontal direction in FIG. 3, which is the width direction of the housing 12.

[0043] The housing 12 has a hollow rectangular box shape as a whole. As shown in Fig. 1, the housing 12 has an outer dimension T in the thickness direction that is smaller than an outer dimension H in the height direction and an outer dimension W in the width direction, and has a flat shape with the thickness direction (front-rear direction) as the minor axis direction. The housing 12 can be made entirely or partially of metal, but in this embodiment, it is made of, for example, a hard synthetic resin.

[0044] The housing 12 includes a first wall member 14 and a second wall member 16 that form the peripheral wall portion, a bottom member 18 that forms the lower wall portion, and a lid member 20 that forms the upper wall portion.

[0045] As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the first wall member 14 has a structure in which first connecting walls 24, 24 protrude from both left and right end portions of the first side wall portion 22 toward a second side wall portion 34, which will be described later.

[0046] An entrance-side guide portion 26 is provided at one end in the left-right direction (the left in FIG. 3) of the first side wall portion 22. The entrance-side guide portion 26 protrudes outward from the first side wall portion 22, and its inner and outer surfaces are tapered so that they narrow toward the protruding tip. The protruding tip of the entrance-side guide portion 26 is located at the bottom of the first side wall portion 22. The entrance-side guide portion 26 extends to the top of the first side wall portion 22, and its width in the left-right direction gradually increases from the protruding tip upward.

[0047] A blood inlet port 28 is provided at one end in the left-right direction of first side wall 22. As shown in Figures 2, 7, and 10, blood inlet port 28 penetrates the protruding tip of inlet guide 26, and inlet guide 26 converges toward blood inlet port 28. Blood inlet port 28 has a cylindrical inlet pipe connection part 30 that protrudes to one side in the left-right direction from the protruding tip of inlet guide 26. Inlet pipe connection part 30 extends linearly in the left-right direction, but may also extend at an angle, for example, in the up-down direction or the front-back direction relative to the left-right direction.

[0048] As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 , an inlet guide fin 32 is provided on the inner surface of the first side wall 22. The inlet guide fin 32 protrudes from the inner surface of the first side wall 22 and extends from near the opening of the blood inlet port 28 in a generally diagonal direction of the first side wall 22, slanting upward. Three inlet guide fins 32a, 32b, and 32c are provided on the first side wall 22. The middle inlet guide fin 32b extends in a diagonal direction of the first side wall 22, and the inlet guide fins 32a and 32c extend at an angle relative to the inlet guide fin 32b. As a result, the distance between the inlet guide fins 32a and 32c and the inlet guide fin 32b increases with increasing distance from the blood inlet port 28. The protruding height of the inlet guide fin 32 from the inner surface of the first side wall 22 gradually decreases with increasing distance from the blood inlet port 28. The inlet side guide fin 32 may extend linearly from the vicinity of the blood inlet port 28, or may extend in a curved shape with a continuously changing inclination angle, or may extend in a bent shape with a stepwise changing inclination angle.

[0049] The first connecting wall 24 has a locking portion 33 that protrudes from the outer surface of the protruding tip portion. In this embodiment, a convex portion that protrudes from the outer surface is provided over the entire upper and lower parts of the protruding tip portion of the first connecting wall 24, and the protruding tip surface of the convex portion and the outer surface of the first connecting wall 24 are connected to each other by a tapered surface in the vertical center without any steps. The locking portion 33 is formed by both end portions of the convex portion in the vertical direction that are outside the tapered surface.

[0050] As shown in Figures 12 and 13, the second wall member 16 has a structure in which second connecting wall portions 36, 36 protrude from both left and right ends of the second side wall portion 34, which is arranged opposite the first side wall portion 22, toward the first side wall portion 22.

[0051] The second side wall 34 is provided with an outlet-side guide portion 38 at the other end in the left-right direction (the left side in FIG. 4). The outlet-side guide portion 38 protrudes outward from the second side wall 34, and its inner and outer surfaces are tapered toward the protruding tip. The protruding tip of the outlet-side guide portion 38 is located in the middle of the second side wall 34 in the up-down direction. The outlet-side guide portion 38 does not reach the top or bottom of the second side wall 34, and is provided only in the middle part in the up-down direction.

[0052] A blood outlet port 40 is provided at the other end in the left-right direction of the second side wall 34. As shown in Figures 8 and 12, the blood outlet port 40 penetrates the protruding tip of the outlet guide 38, and the outlet guide 38 converges toward the blood outlet port 40. The blood outlet port 40 has a cylindrical outlet pipe connection part 42 that protrudes from the protruding tip of the outlet guide 38 to the other side in the left-right direction. The outlet pipe connection part 42 extends linearly in the left-right direction, but may also extend at an angle, for example, in the up-down direction or the front-back direction relative to the left-right direction.

[0053] Blood inlet port 28 is provided at the bottom of first side wall 22, and blood outlet port 40 is provided in the vertical center of second side wall 34. This positions blood outlet port 40 higher than blood inlet port 28. Blood inlet port 28 may be provided, for example, at the same height as blood outlet port 40 in the vertical direction, or may be provided higher than blood outlet port 40. Blood outlet port 40 may be provided in any vertical middle portion away from the upper and lower ends, and may be provided in any middle portion away from the vertical center.

[0054] As shown in Figures 12 and 13, an outlet-side guide fin 44 is provided on the inner surface of the second side wall 34. The outlet-side guide fin 44 protrudes from the inner surface of the second side wall 34 and extends in the left-right direction from near the opening of the blood outlet port 40 in the second side wall 34. Five outlet-side guide fins 44a, 44b, 44c, 44d, and 44e are provided on the second side wall 34. Compared to the outlet-side guide fin 44c, which is located in the vertical center and extends in the left-right direction, the outlet-side guide fins 44a and 44b extend at an upward incline from near the opening of the blood outlet port 40, and the outlet-side guide fins 44d and 44e extend at a downward incline from near the opening of the blood outlet port 40. The outlet-side guide fins 44 protrude from the inner surface of the second side wall 34 to a substantially constant height. The outlet side guide fin 44 may extend linearly from the vicinity of the blood outlet port 40, or may extend in a curved shape with a continuously changing inclination angle, or may extend in a bent shape with a stepwise changing inclination angle.

[0055] The second connecting wall 36 has a locking claw 45 that protrudes from the inner surface of the protruding tip portion. The locking claw 45 is provided on each of both vertical end portions of the second connecting wall 36. The locking claw 45 protrudes inward from the second connecting wall 36 in a direction that decreases toward the protruding tip of the second connecting wall 36, and the protruding tip surface is tapered.

[0056] 9, the first wall member 14 and the second wall member 16 are formed into a rectangular tubular shape by connecting the protruding tip portions of the first connecting wall portions 24, 24 and the protruding tip portions of the second connecting wall portions 36, 36 to each other by means of mechanical engagement, adhesive bonding, welding, or the like, thereby constituting the peripheral wall portion of the housing 12. In this embodiment, locking claws 45, 45, 45, 45 provided on the protruding tip portions of the second connecting wall portions 36, 36 are locked with locking portions 33, 33, 33, 33 provided on the protruding tip portions of the first connecting wall portions 24, 24, thereby fixing the first wall member 14 and the second wall member 16. A blood inlet port 28 and a blood outlet port 40 are provided on the side walls 22, 34 in the front-rear direction of the housing 12.

[0057] 2, the bottom member 18 has an overall rectangular dish shape, and can be fitted with the lower end of the peripheral wall portion of the housing 12 formed by the first wall member 14 and the second wall member 16. The bottom member 18 is provided with a temperature control fluid inlet port 46 and a temperature control fluid outlet port 48, as shown in FIGS.

[0058] The temperature control fluid inlet port 46 is provided at the end of the bottom member 18 on the first side wall portion 22 side in the front-rear direction, and penetrates one vertical wall of the bottom member 18 in the left-right direction. The temperature control fluid inlet port 46 is cylindrical and extends outward in the left-right direction.

[0059] The temperature regulating fluid outlet port 48 is provided at the end of the bottom member 18 on the first side wall portion 22 side in the front-rear direction, and penetrates the other vertical wall of the bottom member 18 in the left-right direction. The temperature regulating fluid outlet port 48 is cylindrical, and extends outward in the left-right direction in the opposite direction to the temperature regulating fluid inlet port 46.

[0060] 6, a gas outlet port 50 is provided at the bottom of the bottom member 18. The gas outlet port 50 is composed of four holes that penetrate the bottom of the bottom member 18. The gas outlet port 50 is provided closer to the second side wall portion 34 in the front-to-rear direction than the temperature control fluid inlet port 46 and the temperature control fluid outlet port 48.

[0061] 1 to 5, the cover member 20 has an overall shape of an upside-down rectangular dish, into which the upper end of the peripheral wall portion of the housing 12 formed by the first wall member 14 and the second wall member 16 can be fitted. A gas inlet port 52 is provided in the cover member 20. The gas inlet port 52 penetrates the cover member 20 in the vertical direction, extending upward and toward one side in the left-right direction.

[0062] A bottom member 18 is fitted to the lower end of the peripheral wall formed by the first wall member 14 and the second wall member 16, and a lid member 20 is fitted to the upper end, thereby forming a hollow box-shaped housing 12. The first wall member 14, the second wall member 16, the bottom member 18, and the lid member 20 are assembled together in a fluid-tight manner to prevent blood leakage. The first wall member 14, the second wall member 16, the bottom member 18, and the lid member 20 may be fitted together without adhesive, sealed with silicone or rubber, or may be fixed by means of adhesive, heat welding, or the like.

[0063] The housing 12 has a third side wall 53 extending in the flow path length direction (vertical direction) of a gas flow path 66 of the gas exchange membrane 62, which will be described later. The third side wall 53 is composed of a first connecting wall 24 of the first wall member 14 and a second connecting wall 36 of the second wall member 16. The third side wall 53 extends approximately perpendicular to the first and second side wall portions 22, 34, and extends in the vertical direction, which is the flow path length direction of the gas flow path 66, which will be described later. A pair of third side walls 53 are provided facing each other.

[0064] 9, a temperature control area 54 and a gas exchange area 56 are provided inside the housing 12. The temperature control area 54 and the gas exchange area 56 are arranged side by side in the front-to-rear direction, which is the minor axis direction of the flat housing 12.

[0065] The temperature adjustment region 54 houses a temperature regulator 60 composed of a plurality of heat transfer tubes 58. The temperature regulator 60 has a structure in which a plurality of heat transfer tubes 58 made of a synthetic resin such as polyurethane are arranged to extend parallel to one another. The axial direction of the inner lumens of the heat transfer tubes 58 constituting the temperature regulator 60 extends in the left-right direction, which is perpendicular to the thickness direction of the housing 12. The temperature regulator 60 is positioned relative to the housing 12, for example, by bonding its outer periphery to the housing 12.

[0066] The inner bore of a heat transfer tube 58 that constitutes the temperature controller 60 has openings at both ends connected to a temperature control fluid inlet port 46 and a temperature control fluid outlet port 48. A temperature control fluid such as cold water or hot water is introduced through the temperature control fluid inlet port 46, flows through the inner bore of the heat transfer tube 58, and is then discharged to the outside through the temperature control fluid outlet port 48. The temperature control fluid discharged from the temperature control fluid outlet port 48 is heated or cooled to an appropriate temperature by a heater or radiator, and then introduced again into the temperature controller 60 through the temperature control fluid inlet port 46.

[0067] As shown in FIG. 9 , the temperature regulator 60 is fixed to the housing 12 by the first wall member 14 and the second wall member 16, more specifically, by the first wall member 14 and the spacer 64, with its end portion compressed in the direction of blood flow. That is, the temperature regulator 60 in the opposing direction of the first and second side walls 22, 34 has a smaller thickness after being fixed to the housing 12 than before being fixed to the housing 12, resulting in a compressed state at least at the peripheral end portion (edge portion) located between the opposing surfaces of the first side wall 22 and the spacer 64. This configuration allows the outer surface of the temperature regulator 60 to closely contact the inner surface of the housing 12, reducing the gap between the temperature regulator 60 and the housing 12 and suppressing the flow of blood along the inner surface of the housing 12. As a result, blood flows more easily throughout the temperature regulator 60, which is composed of multiple heat transfer tubes 58, and the contact area between the temperature regulator 60 and the blood is increased, thereby improving heat exchange efficiency. In particular, in this embodiment, the compressive deformation rate of the temperature regulator 60 due to attachment to the housing 12 is greater not only at both ends in the vertical direction but also at both ends in the direction in which the third side wall portions 53, 53 face each other than at the central portion in each direction, thereby achieving a stronger fixing force, etc. In this embodiment, the temperature regulator 60 is not compressed in the inner peripheral portion outside the space between the facing surfaces of the first side wall portion 22 and the spacer 64.

[0068] The gas exchange region 56 houses a gas exchange membrane 62. The gas exchange membrane 62 is a structure in which multiple gas-permeable hollow fiber membranes are laminated together, and is formed from a synthetic resin such as polypropylene or polymethylpentene. The axial direction in which the inner lumens of the hollow fibers (gas flow paths 66, described later) that make up the hollow fiber membranes extend is the up-down direction, perpendicular to the thickness direction of the housing 12. The gas exchange membrane 62 is positioned relative to the housing 12, for example, by having its outer periphery adhered to the housing 12. A frame-shaped spacer 64 is disposed between the temperature regulator 60 and the gas exchange membrane 62, and the temperature regulator 60 and the gas exchange membrane 62 are separated from each other in the front-to-rear direction by the spacer 64.

[0069] The lumen of the hollow fibers constituting the gas exchange membrane 62 forms a gas flow path 66, and openings at both ends are connected to the gas inlet port 52 and the gas outlet port 50. An oxygen-containing supply gas introduced into the gas exchange region 56 from the gas inlet port 52 flows through the gas flow path 66 of the gas exchange membrane 62, where gas exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide occurs between the gas exchange membrane 62 and the blood in contact with the gas exchange membrane 62. After this, an exhaust gas containing carbon dioxide is discharged to the outside through the gas outlet port 50. Thus, the gas flow path 66 through which oxygen and carbon dioxide flow is formed by the gas exchange membrane 62 made of hollow fiber membranes. Furthermore, because the gas outlet port 50 is formed by vertically penetrating the bottom member 18 of the housing 12, even if condensation occurs in the gas flow path 66, the water droplets are quickly discharged to the outside through the gas outlet port 50, preventing clogging of the gas flow path 66 with water droplets.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 9 , the gas exchange membrane 62 is fixed to the housing 12 by the first wall member 14 and the second wall member 16, more specifically, by the second wall member 16 and the spacer 64, with its end portion compressed in the direction of blood flow. That is, the gas exchange membrane 62 in the opposing direction of the first and second side walls 22, 34 has a smaller thickness after being fixed to the housing 12 than before being fixed to the housing 12, at least at the peripheral end portion (edge portion) located between the opposing surfaces of the second side wall 34 and the spacer 64. This configuration ensures that the outer surface of the gas exchange membrane 62 and the inner surface of the housing 12 are in close contact with each other, reducing the gap between the gas exchange membrane 62 and the housing 12 and suppressing blood flow along the inner surface of the housing 12. As a result, blood flows more easily throughout the entire laminated structure of the gas exchange membrane 62, and the contact area between the gas exchange membrane 62 and the blood increases, improving gas exchange efficiency. In particular, in this embodiment, the compressive deformation rate of the gas exchange membrane 62 due to attachment to the housing 12 is greater not only at both ends in the vertical direction but also at both ends in the direction in which the third side wall portions 53, 53 face each other than at the central portion in each direction, thereby achieving a stronger fixing force, etc. In this embodiment, the gas exchange membrane 62 is not compressed in the inner peripheral portion outside the space between the facing surfaces of the second side wall portion 34 and the spacer 64.

[0071] A first resin layer made of a synthetic resin material such as urethane is provided between the housing 12 and both vertical ends of the gas exchange membrane 62. Although the first resin layer is hidden by the gas exchange membrane 62 and a second resin layer 68 (described later) in FIG. 9, the first resin layer is formed so as to cover the outer peripheral surfaces of both upper and lower end portions of the gas exchange membrane 62 over the entire circumferential direction. Preferably, the first resin layer is formed in a packed state between the housing 12 and the gas exchange membrane 62. As a result, both ends of the gas exchange membrane 62 in the tube axis direction (vertical direction) of the hollow fibers constituting the gas exchange membrane 62 are fixed to the housing 12 (second side wall portion 34, spacer 64, third side wall portion 53) by the first resin layer packed over the entire circumferential direction.

[0072] A second resin layer 68 is interposed between the inner surface of each third side wall portion 53 of the housing 12 and the outer surface of the gas exchange membrane 62 arranged along the inner surface. Preferably, the second resin layer 68 is provided in a filled state between each third side wall portion 53 and the gas exchange membrane 62. It is desirable that the gas exchange membrane 62 is fixed to the housing 12 by the filled second resin layer 68. Note that the upper and lower end portions of the second resin layer 68 may be formed from the first resin layer, or the portion of the first resin layer located on the inner surface of the third side wall portion 53 may be formed from the second resin layer 68.

[0073] The temperature regulator 60 and the gas exchange membrane 62 may have different structures or materials. For example, a temperature regulator 60 made of a metal heat transfer tube 58 and a gas exchange membrane 62 made of synthetic resin hollow fibers may be combined. In this embodiment, the temperature regulator 60 and the gas exchange membrane 62 are both made of synthetic resin and have approximately the same structure. Note that in Figure 9, the diameters of the heat transfer tube 58 and the hollow fibers are exaggerated for ease of viewing.

[0074] Blood is introduced into both the temperature control region 54 and the gas exchange region 56. Specifically, the temperature control region 54 and the gas exchange region 56 are connected via the blood inlet port 28 through the inlet guide 26 and the blood outlet port 40 through the outlet guide 38. The blood is introduced into the housing 12 through the blood inlet port 28, passes through the temperature control region 54 and the gas exchange region 56 in that order, and is then discharged to the outside through the blood outlet port 40. In the temperature control region 54, the blood flows outside the heat transfer tube 58 of the temperature regulator 60, whereby indirect heat exchange occurs between the blood and a temperature-controlling fluid. This allows the blood to be heated or cooled to an appropriate temperature. In the gas exchange region 56, the temperature-controlled blood flows outside the hollow fibers of the gas exchange membrane 62, where it receives oxygen from a supply gas introduced into a gas flow channel 66, which is the inner lumen of the hollow fibers, and is oxygenated. The blood receives oxygen from the gas flow path 66 and expels carbon dioxide to the gas flow path 66 .

[0075] The blood inlet port 28 extends in the left-right direction substantially parallel to the front surface of the gas exchange membrane 62, allowing blood introduced through the blood inlet port 28 to be easily dispersed over a wide range in the left-right direction relative to the gas exchange membrane 62. This allows the blood to come into contact with the gas exchange membrane 62 over a wide area, improving gas exchange efficiency. The blood inlet port 28 also extends substantially parallel to the temperature regulator 60, allowing the blood introduced through the blood inlet port 28 to be easily dispersed over a wide range in the left-right direction relative to the temperature regulator 60. This allows the blood to come into contact with the temperature regulator 60 over a wide area, allowing efficient temperature regulation of the blood.

[0076] Blood introduced from the blood inlet port 28 is guided by the inlet guide 26 so that it spreads diagonally from the lower part at one left-right end of the temperature control region 54 to the upper part at the other left-right end. Therefore, the blood flows over a wide area in the temperature control region 54 and the gas exchange region 56, and heat and gas exchange of the blood is efficiently achieved.

[0077] Since the first side wall 22 where the blood inlet port 28 opens is provided with the inlet guide fins 32, the blood introduced into the temperature control region 54 from the blood inlet port 28 is also guided toward the upper portion of the other left-right end by the inlet guide fins 32. This improves the efficiency of both heat exchange between the blood and the temperature control fluid and gas exchange between the blood and the supplied gas.

[0078] Furthermore, since the three inlet side guide fins 32a, 32b, and 32c extend at an angle so that they move away from each other as they move away from the blood inlet port 28, the blood is guided over a wider range of the temperature control area 54, thereby improving heat exchange efficiency.

[0079] Furthermore, the protruding height of the inlet guide fins 32 gradually decreases with increasing distance from the blood inlet port 28. As a result, the blood guided by the inlet guide fins 32 gradually deviates from the guidance of the inlet guide fins 32 and diffuses as it moves away from the blood inlet port 28. As a result, the blood introduced from the blood inlet port 28 is efficiently diffused and flows into a wide range of the temperature control region 54.

[0080] In this way, blood inlet port 28 is provided at the bottom of temperature-controlled region 54, and blood introduced from blood inlet port 28 is guided to the top of temperature-controlled region 54 by inlet-side guide portion 26 and inlet-side guide fins 32. Therefore, by introducing blood from blood inlet port 28 into temperature-controlled region 54, a blood flow is easily formed so that the blood spreads over a wide area within temperature-controlled region 54.

[0081] Furthermore, because the blood inlet port 28 is located below the temperature control area 54, when the temperature control area 54 and the gas exchange area 56 are filled with a priming solution such as physiological saline, the drop height of the priming solution when it enters the temperature control area 54 from the blood inlet port 28 is small. This makes it less likely that air will be entrained when it drops, making it less likely that air will remain in the blood flow areas in the temperature control area 54 and the gas exchange area 56, preventing air bubbles from getting mixed into the blood.

[0082] The blood that has been diffused and introduced into the temperature control region 54 also flows over a wide range in the gas exchange region 56. Therefore, oxygen is efficiently supplied to the blood from the supply gas of the gas exchange membrane 62, and carbon dioxide held by the blood is efficiently transferred into the gas exchange membrane 62.

[0083] Because the oxygenated blood in the gas exchange region 56 is guided to the blood outlet port 40 by the outlet-side guide 38, blood located far from the blood outlet port 40 can also be easily discharged from the blood outlet port 40. As a result, the blood in the gas exchange region 56 is discharged from the blood outlet port 40 in a mixed state, stabilizing the degree of oxygenation of the blood discharged from the blood outlet port 40, in other words, the oxygen partial pressure. The blood in the gas exchange region 56 is prone to have uneven oxygen partial pressure between the upper portion close to the gas inlet port 52 and the lower portion far from the gas inlet port 52, but because the blood in the upper portion and the blood in the lower portion are mixed together in the outlet-side guide 38, the oxygen partial pressure of the blood discharged from the blood outlet port 40 is stabilized.

[0084] The blood outlet port 40 is disposed substantially parallel to the blood inlet port 28 and on the opposite side of the blood inlet port 28 in the left-right direction. This allows for a smooth flow of blood introduced through the blood inlet port 28 and discharged through the blood outlet port 40. Furthermore, because the inlet line connecting portion 30 and the outlet line connecting portion 42 extend in the left-right direction, the protrusion of the inlet line connecting portion 30 and the outlet line connecting portion 42 in the front-rear direction is suppressed, thereby reducing the front-rear size of the oxygenator 10. Furthermore, because the tubes connected to the inlet line connecting portion 30 and the outlet line connecting portion 42 also extend in the left-right direction, the space required in the front-rear direction when in use is reduced.

[0085] The second side wall portion 34, where the blood outlet port 40 opens, is provided with an outlet-side guide fin 44, so that blood in the gas exchange region 56 is guided by the outlet-side guide fin 44 from a wide area within the gas exchange region 56 to the outlet-side guide portion 38. This stabilizes the degree of oxygenation of the blood drawn out from the blood outlet port 40.

[0086] Moreover, because the five outlet-side guide fins 44a, 44b, 44c, 44d, and 44e extend at an angle radially so as to move away from each other as they move away from the blood outlet port 40, blood is guided to the outlet-side guide section 38 from a wider range of the gas exchange region 56. Therefore, the degree of oxygenation of the blood drawn out from the blood outlet port 40 is stabilized.

[0087] Furthermore, the outlet-side guide fins 44 have a substantially constant protruding height from the second side wall portion 34. This allows the blood guided by the outlet-side guide fins 44 to be guided to the outlet-side guide portion 38 without diffusing, and to be agitated in the outlet-side guide portion 38. This makes it possible to stabilize the oxygen partial pressure in the blood discharged from the blood outlet port 40.

[0088] In this way, the blood outlet port 40 is provided in the vertically intermediate portion of the gas exchange region 56, and blood from both the upper and lower portions of the gas exchange region 56 is guided to the blood outlet port 40 by the outlet-side guide portion 38 and the outlet-side guide fins 44. Moreover, blood guided from a wide area within the gas exchange region 56 is agitated in the outlet-side guide portion 38 before being discharged from the blood outlet port 40, which reduces the likelihood of variations in oxygenation of the blood discharged from the blood outlet port 40. Furthermore, within the housing 12, which includes the inlet-side guide portion 26 and the outlet-side guide portion 38, blood agitation can be controlled to a degree that does not cause damage to blood cells by adjusting the shape of the outlet-side guide portion 38, the blood flow rate, etc.

[0089] Since the blood outlet port 40 opens not at the top end of the gas exchange area 56 but in the middle in the vertical direction, even if air bubbles get mixed into the blood, the air bubbles will rise above the opening of the blood outlet port 40 and are less likely to enter the blood outlet port 40.

[0090] Furthermore, when the oxygenator 10 is in use, the blood inlet port 28 and the blood outlet port 40 are both located above the temperature control fluid inlet port 46 and the temperature control fluid outlet port 48. Therefore, even if the temperature control fluid leaks from the temperature control fluid inlet port 46 or the temperature control fluid outlet port 48, the temperature control fluid is unlikely to come into contact with the blood inlet port 28 and the blood outlet port 40. Therefore, the blood inlet port 28 and the blood outlet port 40 are kept clean and are not contaminated by the temperature control fluid.

[0091] A second resin layer 68 is filled between each third side wall portion 53 of the housing 12 and the gas exchange membrane 62. If a gap exists between the outer surface of the gas exchange membrane 62 and the inner surface of the housing 12 (third side wall portion 53), blood tends to flow through the gap along the inner surface of the housing 12, resulting in a phenomenon (short-path) in which blood is less likely to flow throughout the entire interior of the laminated structure of the gas exchange membrane 62. Therefore, by filling the gap between the third side wall portion 53 and the gas exchange membrane 62 with the second resin layer 68, short-path flow can be prevented. Furthermore, by extending the second resin layer 68 in the gas exchange region 56 in the flow path length direction of the gas flow channel 66, the effect of preventing short-path flow is further enhanced. More preferably, the second resin layer 68 is provided continuously over the entire length of the gas exchange membrane 62 in the flow path length direction of the gas flow channel 66.

[0092] Figure 14 shows an oxygenator 70 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The oxygenator 70 includes a housing 72. In the following description, components and parts that are substantially the same as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings, and description thereof will be omitted.

[0093] The housing 72 is a hollow, generally rectangular box. Inside the housing 72, a temperature control area 54 and a gas exchange area 56 are arranged side by side in the front-to-back direction (left-to-right direction in FIG. 14). The temperature control area 54 houses a temperature regulator 60 made up of a number of heat transfer tubes 58 extending in the vertical direction (up-to-down direction in FIG. 14). The gas exchange area 56 houses a gas exchange membrane 62 made up of a number of hollow fibers extending in the vertical direction.

[0094] The upper wall of the housing 72 is provided with a gas inlet port 52 that penetrates vertically and protrudes upward, and a temperature control fluid inlet port 46. The lower wall of the housing 72 is provided with a gas outlet port 50 that penetrates vertically and a temperature control fluid outlet port 48 that penetrates vertically and protrudes downward.

[0095] The gas exchange membrane 62 has both vertical ends fixed to the housing 72 by a first resin layer 73. That is, the first resin layer 73 is filled between the gas exchange membrane 62 and the upper wall portion (lid member 20) of the housing 72, and between the gas exchange membrane 62 and the lower wall portion (bottom member 18) of the housing 72. As a result, similar to the first embodiment, the outer peripheral surfaces of both vertical ends of the gas exchange membrane 62 are fixed to the housing 72, and a decrease in gas exchange efficiency due to short-path blood is avoided. Note that, since the first resin layer 73 is provided at both vertical ends of the gas exchange membrane 62 as shown in FIG. 14, smooth blood flow is achieved in the vertical central portion of the gas exchange membrane 62 outside the first resin layer 73.

[0096] 14, the second resin layer is interposed between the inner surface of the third side wall 53 of the housing 72 and the outer surface of the gas exchange membrane 62, preferably filling the entire surface, as in the first embodiment. This secures the gap between the outer surface of the gas exchange membrane 62 and the inner surface of the third side wall 53, preventing a decrease in gas exchange efficiency due to a short path of blood along the inner surface of the third side wall 53.

[0097] A tapered inlet guide portion 26 is provided on first side wall portion 22, which constitutes one of the front-to-rear walls of the peripheral wall of housing 72, and a blood inlet port 28 is provided at the apex of inlet guide portion 26. Blood inlet port 28 is provided by penetrating first side wall portion 22 and includes a cylindrical inlet pipe connection portion 30 that protrudes from first side wall portion 22. Blood inlet port 28 is provided in the center of first side wall portion 22 in the up-down direction.

[0098] A tapered outlet guide portion 38 is provided on the second side wall portion 34 that constitutes the other wall portion in the front-to-rear direction of the peripheral wall of the housing 72, and a blood outlet port 40 is provided at the apex of the outlet guide portion 38. The blood outlet port 40 is provided by penetrating the second side wall portion 34 and includes a cylindrical outlet pipe connection portion 42 that protrudes from the second side wall portion 34. The blood outlet port 40 is provided in the center portion of the second side wall portion 34 in the up-down direction.

[0099] An inlet side tube 74 is connected to the blood inlet port 28. The inlet side tube 74 is inclined upward toward the blood inlet port 28. The inlet side tube 74 is curved so as to gradually approach horizontal toward the blood inlet port 28. An outlet side tube 76 is connected to the blood outlet port 40. The outlet side tube 76 is inclined upward toward the blood outlet port 40. The outlet side tube 76 is curved so as to gradually approach horizontal toward the blood outlet port 40.

[0100] Blood is introduced into the housing 72 from the inlet tube 74 via the blood inlet port 28, and is discharged from the housing 72 to the outlet tube 76 via the blood outlet port 40. The blood is temperature-regulated and oxygenated in a temperature regulation region and a gas exchange region (not shown) within the housing 72.

[0101] Inlet tube 74 is inclined upward toward blood inlet port 28, which makes it easier for blood to flow diagonally upward from blood inlet port 28 into housing 72. This allows sufficient blood to flow in the upper part of housing 72, where blood has difficulty flowing due to gravity, and temperature regulation and oxygenation through gas exchange are achieved over a wide area within housing 72.

[0102] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the inlet tube 74 is curved upward with a convex curve (with a radius of curvature ri), and therefore, in the conduit from the inlet tube 74 to the blood inlet port 28, the flow velocity is greater on the outer circumferential side of the curve, where the flow path length is longer, than on the inner circumferential side of the curve. As a result, the flow velocity of blood flowing from the blood inlet port 28 into the housing 72 is faster in the upper part than in the lower part. This also allows sufficient blood to flow in the upper part of the housing 72, making it possible to achieve substantially uniform oxygenation through gas exchange within the housing 72.

[0103] Furthermore, the inner surface of the tip opening of the blood inlet port 28 is made into a tapered guide surface, so that the flow velocity distribution generated within the inlet tube 74 can be more efficiently applied to the blood inlet port 28 and ultimately to the housing 72, maintaining a roughly laminar flow state within the tube.

[0104] Furthermore, the blood outlet port 40 and the outlet tube 76 have the same structure as the blood inlet port 28 and the inlet tube 74. That is, the outlet tube 76 is curved upward and inclined downward (with a curvature radius ro), and the inner circumferential surface of the tip opening of the blood outlet port 40 is a tapered guide surface. Therefore, a relatively higher blood flow velocity in the upper part of the housing 72 than in the lower part can be actively achieved by the blood discharge-side flow path.

[0105] In addition, the flow rate tends to be faster in the upper part of the housing 72 near the gas inlet port 52, which allows for rapid oxygenation in the upper part where the gas exchange efficiency is relatively high, while the flow is gentler in the lower part where the gas exchange efficiency is relatively low, allowing for sufficient oxygenation.

[0106] The curved shape of the inlet side tube 74 and the outlet side tube 76 makes it easy to connect them to the inlet line connector 30 of the blood inlet port 28 and the outlet line connector 42 of the blood outlet port 40, which protrude in the forward and backward directions, and allows blood to flow diagonally upward into the housing 72.

[0107] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the specific description. For example, the structure of the housing 12 is not necessarily limited to a structure combining a peripheral wall, a lower wall, and an upper wall that are independent of each other. Specifically, the peripheral wall and the lower wall may be integrally formed, and the lower wall may have a two-part structure like the peripheral wall. Also, for example, the inlet guide portion 26 and the outlet guide portion 38 of the peripheral wall may each be separate components.

[0108] The housing is not necessarily limited to a flat shape, and may have a shape without a minor axis, such as a hollow cube. The housing is also not limited to a hollow rectangular box shape, and may have a hollow disk shape, for example. The first and second side walls of the housing, which face each other, are side walls located on both sides of the housing in the direction of blood flow, and do not need to face each other directly because a heat transfer tube or the like is housed and disposed within the housing. The first and second side walls do not need to be parallel to each other, nor do they need to be symmetrical to each other.

[0109] The temperature controller 60 may also employ a heat transfer tube 80 having a structure as shown in FIG. 15 . The heat transfer tube 80 has a structure in which an agitator 82 is inserted into the inner cavity. The agitator 82 is a long, thin plate having a corrugated shape with multiple continuous wave patterns in the longitudinal direction. The agitator 82 is inserted into the inner cavity of the heat transfer tube 80. The agitator 82 generates turbulence in the temperature control fluid flowing through the inner cavity of the heat transfer tube 80, agitating the temperature control fluid and equalizing the temperature inside the heat transfer tube 80. This allows for more efficient heat exchange. The heat transfer tube 80 and agitator 82 having the structure shown in FIG. 15 are preferably made of a synthetic resin such as polyurethane, nylon, or PET, or a metal such as stainless steel.

[0110] The corrugated shape of the stirring plate is not limited to a shape having a continuous curved wave shape, but may be, for example, a shape having zigzag bends at multiple angles, or a shape having multiple continuous groove-like cross sections. In short, the stirring plate generates turbulence in the temperature control fluid by having, for example, irregularities on its surface that intersect with the flow direction of the temperature control fluid flowing through the heat transfer tube.

[0111] For example, a temperature detection port for inserting a temperature sensor to detect the temperature of the blood, a sampling port for withdrawing blood, etc. may be additionally provided on the housing 12, the blood inlet port 28, the blood outlet port 40, etc.

[0112] The orientation of the oxygenator 10 described in the above embodiment is the orientation in use, and it is possible to perform priming before use in a different orientation, etc. Therefore, the positions of the ports 28, 40, 46, 48, 50, and 52 are not particularly limited except in the use state in which extracorporeal circulation is performed on a patient. [Explanation of symbols]

[0113] 10 Artificial lung 12 Housing 14 First wall member 16 Second wall member 18 Bottom member 20 Cover member 22 First side wall portion 24 1st connecting wall section 26 Entrance guide section 28 Blood Inlet Port 30 Inlet pipe connection 32 Entrance guide fin 33 Locking part 34 Second side wall 36 2nd connecting wall 38 Exit side guide section 40 Blood Outlet Port 42 Outlet pipe connection 44 Exit guide fin 45 Locking claw 46 Temperature control fluid inlet port 48 Temperature control fluid outlet port 50 Gas Outlet Port 52 Gas inlet port 53 Third side wall 54 Temperature control area 56 Gas Exchange Area 58 Heat transfer tube 60 Temperature controller 62 Gas exchange membrane 64 spacer 66 Gas flow path 68 Second resin layer 70 Artificial lung 72 Housing 73 1st resin layer 74 Inlet tube 76 Outlet tube 80 Heat transfer tube 82 Stirring plate

Claims

1. a housing having a gas exchange area therein; a gas exchange membrane housed in the gas exchange region of the housing and forming a gas flow path; a gas inlet port for introducing an oxygen-containing feed gas into the gas flow path; a gas outlet port for discharging exhaust gas containing carbon dioxide from the gas flow path; a blood inlet port for introducing blood into the gas exchange region of the housing; a blood outlet port for conducting blood from the gas exchange region of the housing; In use, The gas inlet port is provided in a top wall of the housing; the gas outlet port is located in a lower wall of the housing; the blood inlet port is provided in a first side wall of the housing, and the blood outlet port is provided in a second side wall of the housing opposite the first side wall, The oxygenator has a plurality of outlet-side guide fins protruding from the inner surface of the second side wall portion.

2. The oxygenator according to claim 1, wherein the outlet guide fin protrudes toward the gas exchange membrane.

3. 3. The oxygenator according to claim 1, wherein the outlet guide fins have protruding tips positioned on the same plane.

4. a housing having a gas exchange area therein; a gas exchange membrane housed in the gas exchange region of the housing and forming a gas flow path; a gas inlet port for introducing an oxygen-containing feed gas into the gas flow path; a gas outlet port for discharging exhaust gas containing carbon dioxide from the gas flow path; a blood inlet port for introducing blood into the gas exchange region of the housing; a blood outlet port for conducting blood from the gas exchange region of the housing; In use, The gas inlet port is provided in a top wall of the housing; the gas outlet port is located in a lower wall of the housing; the blood inlet port is provided in a first side wall of the housing, and the blood outlet port is provided in a second side wall of the housing opposite the first side wall, The oxygenator has a plurality of inlet guide fins protruding from the inner surface of the first side wall portion where the blood inlet port is provided.

5. 5. The oxygenator according to claim 4, wherein the inlet guide fin protrudes toward the gas exchange membrane.

6. 6. The oxygenator according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of inlet guide fins have protruding tips positioned on the same plane.

Images