Method of blood oxygenation

A method for providing oxygenated blood to a patient, the method comprising the acts of:

• (a) providing blood to a liquid-to-liquid blood oxygenation assembly;
• (b) oxygenating the blood with the liquid-to-liquid blood oxygenation assembly to form oxygenated blood, wherein the liquid-to-liquid oxygenation assembly comprises:
• a mixing chamber having a first inlet, a second inlet, and an outlet;
• wherein the first inlet is positioned on the mixing chamber in such a way that the blood enters the mixing chamber and flows in a generally vortical direction;
• a gas-supersaturated fluid supply assembly adapted to deliver an oxygen-supersaturated fluid having a liquid phase supersaturated with oxygen to the mixing chamber via the second inlet to mix with the blood and form oxygenated blood, wherein the oxygenated blood exits the mixing chamber through the outlet,
• (c) selecting a delivery system, the delivery system comprising:
• a generally tubular elongated member having a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and a longitudinal axis, the distal end portion being adapted to be inserted into the patient and the proximal end portion being coupled to the blood oxygenation assembly, the member further having a first lumen with an effective diameter, the lumen extending from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion for carrying the oxygenated blood, and having a plurality of holes formed in a peripheral wall of the member and extending to the first lumen, the plurality of holes being located in the distal end portion of the member, each of the plurality of holes having a throughway axis, each throughway axis being generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the member and being circumferentially offset from each adjacent throughway axis, wherein
• the selecting step comprises determining the effective diameter of the lumen needed to achieve a bubble-free delivery of the oxygenated blood based on a specified oxygenated flow rate and a target oxygen partial pressure in the oxygenated blood;
• and
• (d) delivering the oxygenated blood to the patient via the selected delivery system.

A method for oxygenating blood and delivering the oxygenated blood to a patient, the method comprising the acts of:

• (a) providing a blood pump assembly coupled to a supply of blood;
• (b) providing a liquid-to-liquid blood oxygenation assembly coupled to the blood pump assembly, the blood oxygenation assembly receiving the blood from the blood pump assembly and oxygenating the blood, wherein the liquid-to-liquid oxygenation assembly comprises:
• a mixing chamber having a first inlet, a second inlet, and an outlet;
• wherein the first inlet is positioned on the mixing chamber in such a way that the blood enters the mixing chamber and flows in a generally vortical direction;
• a gas-supersaturated fluid supply assembly adapted to deliver an oxygen-supersaturated fluid having a liquid phase supersaturated with oxygen to the mixing chamber via the second inlet to mix with the blood and form oxygenated blood, wherein the oxygenated blood exits the mixing chamber through the outlet,
• (c) selecting a delivery system for delivering the oxygenated blood to a patient, the delivery system comprising:
• a generally tubular elongated member having a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and a longitudinal axis, the proximal end portion being adapted to be inserted into the patient and the distal end portion being coupled to the blood oxygenation assembly, the member further having a first lumen with an effective diameter, the first lumen extending from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion for carrying the oxygenated blood, and having a plurality of holes formed in a peripheral wall of the member and extending to the first lumen, the plurality of holes being located in the distal end portion of the member, each of the plurality of holes having a throughway axis, each throughway axis being generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the member and being circumferentially offset from each adjacent throughway axis, the member further having a transition portion located between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion, the transitional portion being relatively flexible compared to the proximal end portion and being relatively stiff compared to the distal end portion, wherein
• the selecting step comprises determining the effective diameter of the lumen needed to achieve a bubble-free delivery of the oxygenated blood based on a specified oxygenated flow rate and a target oxygen partial pressure in the oxygenated blood;
• and
• (d) coupling the selected delivery system to the blood oxygenation assembly.