Oxygenator Bubble Removal and Plasma Leakage Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing oxygenators used in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) face challenges in speeding up priming and preventing long-term plasma leakage during extended blood circulation.
Innovation Solution
An oxygenator design incorporating a bubble-removing hollow fiber membrane layer, a gas-exchanging membrane layer, a gas permeable portion to discharge bubbles while preventing plasma leakage, and a plasma capture chamber to contain leaked plasma, along with a negative pressure applying unit to enhance bubble removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a bubble-removing hollow fiber membrane layer is used to speed up priming, then bubble removal efficiency is improved, but plasma leakage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the housing into distinct functional chambers: a bubble removal chamber containing the bubble-removing hollow fiber membrane layer, and a plasma capture chamber containing the plasma trap. This segmentation allows bubbles to be removed efficiently while containing plasma leakage within a separate chamber, preventing plasma from escaping the oxygenator system.
Solution Approach 2:
The plasma trap acts as an intermediary component between the bubble-removing hollow fiber membrane layer and the external environment. It captures plasma that leaks through the membrane layer, serving as a mediator that prevents direct plasma loss while allowing the bubble removal function to continue operating effectively.
2Speed
If the bubble-removing hollow fiber membrane layer is made more permeable to remove bubbles faster, then bubble removal efficiency is improved, but plasma leakage through the membrane increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful effect of plasma leakage into a beneficial containment mechanism. The plasma trap is designed to capture and contain the plasma that inevitably leaks through the permeable membrane layer, transforming what would be a loss into a controlled collection within a designated chamber, thereby allowing high permeability without net plasma loss.
3Device complexity
If no plasma capture mechanism is used, then device complexity is reduced, but plasma leakage becomes problematic during long-term circulation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the plasma trap with the housing structure, where the plasma capture chamber is formed as an integrated part of the housing rather than a separate external component. This merging approach minimizes additional complexity while providing effective plasma leakage control during long-term circulation.
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
This design accelerates priming by efficiently removing bubbles and prevents plasma leakage over time, ensuring effective and rapid setup of extracorporeal circulation circuits.
Implementation Method 1
a gas permeable portion (60) that is arranged between the discharge port (50) and an end portion of the bubble-removing hollow fiber membrane layer (31), is formed by a member having gas permeability, and allows passage of the bubble removed by the bubble-removing hollow fiber membrane layer (31) without allowing passage of plasma leaking through the bubble-removing hollow fiber membrane layer (31)
Implementation Method 2
a bubble-removing hollow fiber membrane layer (31) which is housed in the housing (20) and removes a bubble
Implementation Method 3
a gas-exchanging hollow fiber membrane layer (41) which is housed in the housing (20) and exchanges a gas with a blood
Data Source
AI summary
An oxygenator includes: a housing; a bubble-removing hollow fiber membrane layer removing a bubble; a gas-exchanging hollow fiber membrane layer exchanging a gas with blood; and a discharge port to discharge the bubble removed by the bubble-removing hollow fiber membrane layer to the outside of the housing. The oxygenator further includes a gas permeable portion that is arranged between the discharge port and an end portion of the bubble-removing hollow fiber membrane layer, is formed by a member having gas permeability, and allows passage of the bubble removed by the bubble-removing hollow fiber membrane layer without allowing passage of plasma leaking through the bubble-removing hollow fiber membrane layer. A plasma capture chamber that captures the plasma leaking through the bubble-removing hollow fiber membrane layer is formed between the end portion of the bubble-removing hollow fiber membrane layer and the gas permeable portion.