Heat exchanger and blood oxygenator apparatus

An apparatus for changing the temperature of blood comprising:

• a housing having at least a first inner wall defining an enclosed chamber through which blood may be directed from a blood inlet portion to a blood outlet portion;
• a heat exchanger tube, formed from a tubular body having external and internal surfaces, which is wound in a helical arrangement to provide a plurality of adjacently positioned windings having a top and bottom end, said helically wound tube being dimensioned to be received in the chamber to position at least an outwardly facing portion of said external surface of each of said windings to face said at least a first inner wall, said heat exchanger tube having a plurality of individual circumferentially extending external ribs thereon and reduced cross-sectional area regions between said ribs;
• an inner member formed to fit within said coil and having a surface confronting a portion of said external surface of said tube opposite said at least a first housing inner wall;
• said at least a first inner wall having a surface facing said external surface of said windings and formed with a complimentary shape of alternating depressions and protrusions for receiving at least a portion of said heat exchanger tube;
• said at least a first housing inner wall and said inner member being placed in substantial engagement with said ribs of said heat exchanger tube while remaining spatially separated at said top and bottom ends of said heat exchanger tube to define an open pathway therebetween;
• means for directing said blood between said housing inner wall and said inner member surface over said top end of said heat exchanger tube;
• and
• means for directing a heat exchange fluid through said heat exchange tube.