Apparatus and method for blood oxygenation

A device for oxygenating blood and delivering the oxygenated blood to a patient, the device comprising:

• a blood pump assembly coupled to a supply of blood;
• a 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, the blood oxygenation assembly comprising:
• a mixing chamber having a first inlet, a second inlet, and an outlet;
• a pump adapted to deliver the blood to the mixing chamber via the first inlet,
• wherein the first inlet is positioned on the mixing chamber in such a way that the blood enters the mixing chamber substantially tangential to a wall of die mixing chamber;
• and
• 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 inter to mix with the blood and form the oxygenated blood,
• wherein the oxygenated blood exits the mixing chamber through the outlet;
• and
• a delivery system coupled to the blood oxygenation assembly, the delivery system being adapted to deliver 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 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.

A device for oxygenating blood and delivering the oxygenated blood to a patient, the device comprising:

• a blood pump assembly coupled to a supply of blood;
• a 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, the blood oxygenation assembly comprising:
• a mixing chamber having a first inlet, a second inlet, and an outlet;
• a pump adapted to deliver the blood to the mixing chamber via the first inlet,
• wherein the first inlet is positioned on the mixing chamber in such a way that the blood enters the mixing chamber substantially tangential to a wall of the mixing chamber;
• and
• 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 the oxygenated blood, wherein the oxygenated blood exits the mixing chamber through the outlet;
• and
• a delivery system coupled to the blood oxygenation assembly, the delivery system being adapted to deliver 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 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.