Extracorporeal Oxygenation Using Immiscible Liquid Blood Droplets

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing ECMO systems cause significant clotting, platelet activation, and hemolysis due to non-biologic surfaces and high shear, necessitating aggressive anticoagulation, which increases bleeding complications and mortality.

Innovation Solution

An extracorporeal oxygenation device using an immiscible liquid (IL) such as perfluorocarbon to replace solid oxygenation membranes and minimize blood contact surfaces, combined with controlled droplet generation to reduce shear, thereby mitigating clotting and hemolysis.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional hollow fiber membrane oxygenators are used, then oxygenation function is achieved, but clotting and platelet activation increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoxygenation functionVSAvoidclotting and platelet activation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an immiscible liquid (such as perfluorocarbon) as an intermediary medium between the gas phase and blood. This liquid carrier dissolves oxygen and presents it to blood in a form that does not trigger clotting or platelet activation, resolving the contradiction between achieving oxygenation and preventing harmful blood reactions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent fundamentally changes the physical-chemical parameters of the oxygenation interface by transitioning from direct gas-liquid-blood contact to a liquid-liquid-blood interface. The immiscible liquid carrier has different solubility, viscosity, and surface tension properties that prevent protein adsorption and coagulation cascade activation while maintaining oxygen transfer efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-generated harmful factors

If systemic anticoagulation is increased to prevent clotting, then clotting is reduced, but bleeding complications increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveclottingVSAvoidbleeding complications

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-generated harmful factorsVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful effect of blood contact with non-biologic surfaces into a beneficial outcome by using an immiscible liquid that blood does not react with. Instead of trying to prevent clotting through anticoagulation (which causes bleeding), the system eliminates the root cause of clotting by replacing the triggering surface with a biologically inert liquid medium.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Productivity

If high shear forces are applied to oxygenate blood, then oxygen transfer efficiency increases, but hemolysis increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoxygen transfer efficiencyVSAvoidhemolysis

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses hydraulic principles by introducing an immiscible liquid carrier that facilitates oxygen transfer through dissolution and diffusion rather than forced mechanical mixing. This liquid-mediated approach achieves efficient oxygenation without the high shear forces that cause red blood cell rupture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

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 device effectively oxygenates blood with minimal hemolysis and clotting, allowing reduced anticoagulation and lower mortality rates by using immiscible liquids and controlled droplet generation to manage shear forces.

Implementation Method 1

an oxygen transport liquid... wherein oxygen diffuses from the oxygen transport liquid into the blood

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGas dissolution in liquid: Absorption (physical)

Implementation Method 2

oxygen diffuses from the oxygen transport liquid into the blood

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDiffusion: Diffusion

Implementation Method 3

controlled droplet generation to reduce shear, thereby mitigating clotting and hemolysis

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectShear stress reduction: Shear Stress

Data Source

PatentUS20250339598A1Extracorporeal oxygenation device

Publication Date: 2025.11.06 BOUNDLESS SCIENCE INC

AI summary

A blood oxygenation device includes an oxygen transport liquid for delivering oxygen, a blood distributor for diverting a single stream of blood into a plurality of blood streams, an oxygen transport liquid distributor for diverting a single stream of said oxygen transport liquid into a second plurality of oxygen transport liquid streams, a third plurality of blood droplet generators for generating blood droplets within said oxygen transport liquid, a fourth plurality of blood oxygenation chambers wherein oxygen diffuses from said oxygen transport liquid into blood, and a blood aggregator for combining blood from the fourth plurality of said blood oxygen transport liquids.