Extracorporeal blood oxygenation system having integrated blood pump, heat exchanger and membrane oxygenator

#The present invention relates generally to extracorporeal blood treatment methods and devices, and more particularly to a new extracorporeal blood oxygenation system useable to provide cardiopulmonary support for patients who are undergoing major cardiothoracic surgical procedures or whose lungs are temporarily incapable of providing sufficient blood oxygenation due to injury or disease.

#Numerous extracorporeal blood oxygenation systems have heretofore been known for pumping, oxygenating and controlling the temperature of a patient's blood during major cardiothoracic surgical procedures and sometimes for temporary support of patients whose lungs are injured or diseased. The extracorporeal blood oxygenation systems of the prior art typically comprise four major components--a) a blood reservoir for collecting and defoaming venous blood and/or blood which has been reclaimed from a surgical site (e.g., cardiotomy blood), b) a heat exchanger for adjusting and controlling the temperature of the blood, c) an oxygenator for passing oxygen into and removing carbon dioxide from the blood and d) a blood pump for propelling the blood through the extracorporeal circuit, and through the patient.

#In many of the previous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation systems, a heat exchanger, membrane oxygenator and blood pump were separately located on a pump/control console. Such pump/control console was usually situated some distance away from the patient, and was connected to the patient by way of lengthy blood-filled flexible tubes. However, the extension of such lengthy blood-filled tubes from the patient to a remotely located pump/control console was found to be less than desirable due to the fact that such lengthy, blood filled tubes would significantly increase the priming volume of the extracorporeal circuit and dilution of patient's blood which was required to fill the extracorporeal circuit during operation of the system. Also, such tubes were prone to being stepped upon, kinked, tripped over or accidentally disrupted, especially when such tubes were extended across the floor of a busy operating room.

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an integrated extracorporeal blood oxygenation system of the present invention.

#FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the integrated extracorporeal blood oxygenation system of FIG. 1 including an optional remote monitoring/control computer and console.

#FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the pump/heat exchanger disk/membrane oxygenator blood component of the system shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

#The following detailed description, and the accompanying drawings, are provided for purpose of describing and illustrating presently preferred embodiments of the invention only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

#FIGS. 1 and 2 provide a general, perspective view of a preferred extracorporeal blood oxygenation system 10 of the present invention. The preferred system 10, as shown, comprises an integrated pump/heat exchanger/membrane oxygenator component 12 (hereinafter refereed to as "P/HE/MO component") and a motor drive component 14 (hereinafter referred to as "M/D component"). The P/HE/MO component 12 is preferably constructed of materials which are suitable for disposal after a single use, while the M/D component 14 is preferably constructed of materials which are suitable for multiple use applications.

#The M/D component 14, shown in FIG. 2, comprises an up-standing, stationary support member 16 having an annular shoulder 23 formed thereon, and having a rotatable drive member 17 extending upwardly therethrough. The rotatable drive member 17 is rotationally driven by an electric motor located within the base 13 of the M/D component 14. An engagement structure 48, such as a female hexagonal bore or a splined engagement bore, is formed within the upper end of the rotatable drive member 17.