Development of an integrated artificial heart-lung device for long-term cardiopulmonary support.

Abstract

An integrated artificial heart-lung device has been developed as a long-term cardiopulmonary support system. The device is composed of gas exchange and pumping units. The gas exchange unit consists of a special hollow fiber membrane that can prevent serum leakage. The entire blood contacting surface of the gas exchange unit is treated with covalent heparin bonding. The pumping unit consists of two pusher-plate artificial hearts joined to each end of the artificial lung unit. The core size and priming volume of the device are 11 x 14 x 17 cm and 400 ml, respectively. In in vitro evaluation, the device exhibited a maximum output of 7.0 L/ min, with a pressure gradient of 10 mmHg per 1 L/min flow rate. In acute in vivo evaluation with adult goats, the device satisfactorily replaced the animals' circulation and respiration for 6 hr. Pumping output ranged from 5.5 to 6.0 L/min, whereas PaO2 and PaCO2 were kept above 500 mmHg and below 30 mmHg, respectively. The device demonstrated prominent thrombus resistant properties in nonheparin animal use trials. These results indicate that the integrated artificial heart-lung device has a potential to be a long-term cardiopulmonary support system that can be used with minimal anticoagulant therapy.