Membrane Oxygenator With Built-In Filter For Blood Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Membrane oxygenators face challenges in enhancing oxygenation and filtration effects while minimizing blood damage and contamination risks, particularly due to the potential for increased contamination and damage from the connection method between the oxygenator and filter during extracorporeal circulation.
Innovation Solution
A membrane oxygenator with a built-in filter design, featuring a pleated filter screen, oxygen pressure membrane, and temperature-changing membrane, where the blood flow traverses these components transversely, increasing contact time and reducing flow rate, thereby improving oxygenation and filtration efficiency while minimizing blood damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a larger area of oxygen pressure membrane is used to enhance gas exchange capacity, then oxygenation effect is improved, but blood damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the filter and oxygenator into a single integrated device with shared housing and blood flow path. The filter screen and oxygen pressure membrane are positioned concentrically within the same blood flow channel, allowing simultaneous filtration and gas exchange without requiring separate connection interfaces. This merging eliminates the connection method between separate oxygenator and filter that causes contamination and blood damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The oxygen pressure membrane is nested within the filter structure, with the membrane wrapped around the filter screen. The blood flow path is configured so that blood flows through the filter screen first, then through the oxygen pressure membrane, creating a nested functional arrangement. This nesting allows the oxygen pressure membrane to be positioned within the existing filter housing without increasing overall device complexity or requiring additional connection interfaces.
2Reliability
If separate oxygenator and filter are used during extracorporeal circulation, then filtration function is provided, but contamination risk and blood damage increase due to connection method
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the filter and oxygenator into a single integrated device with shared housing and blood flow path. The filter screen and oxygen pressure membrane are positioned concentrically within the same blood flow channel, allowing simultaneous filtration and gas exchange without requiring separate connection interfaces. This merging eliminates the connection method between separate oxygenator and filter that causes contamination and blood damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated device performs multiple functions simultaneously: the filter screen provides mechanical filtration of emboli, the oxygen pressure membrane provides gas exchange, and both functions operate within the same blood flow path without requiring separate connection interfaces. The single device structure serves as both filter and oxygenator, eliminating the need for separate components and their interconnections.
3Productivity
If blood flow rate is increased to improve efficiency, then productivity is improved, but blood damage and contact time with membranes decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from linear blood flow through separate components to concentric radial flow through the filter screen and oxygen pressure membrane. Blood flows radially through the filter screen first, then radially through the oxygen pressure membrane, creating a multi-dimensional flow pattern. This radial flow arrangement increases the effective surface area contact between blood and membranes without requiring increased flow rate, thereby maintaining productivity while reducing blood damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter screen and oxygen pressure membrane are arranged in concentric cylindrical configurations rather than flat planar arrangements. This curved, spherical-like geometry increases the surface area available for filtration and gas exchange within a compact volume, allowing efficient blood processing with longer contact time at moderate flow rates, thereby reducing blood damage while maintaining productivity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design enhances oxygenation and filtration effects by increasing contact time between blood and the oxygen pressure and filter membranes, reducing blood damage, and minimizing contamination risks through a more efficient gas exchange and filtration process.
Implementation Method 1
oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged into arterial blood after the venous blood passing through the membrane oxygenator
Implementation Method 2
The filter may be used to filter the embolus (bubbles or solid particles) in the blood
Implementation Method 3
the membrane oxygenator integrates functions of oxygenation, temperature-changing, blood storage, and filtration
Data Source
AI summary
The embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a membrane oxygenator with a built-in filter, including an upper cover, a lower cover, a shell and an oxygenation structure, wherein two ends of the shell may be respectively connected to the upper cover and the lower cover, and the oxygenation structure may be disposed in the shell, including a mandrel, a filter screen, an oxygen pressure membrane, and a temperature-changing membrane in turn from a center to an outside. The blood may flow in from an upper blood inlet of the membrane oxygenator, traverse the temperature-changing membrane, oxygen pressure membrane and filter screen in turn, and then flow out from a blood outlet under the mandrel. During a process of traversing, a flow rate of the blood may gradually slow down, and the blood may fully contact the oxygen pressure membrane and the filter screen.