Development of an ultracompact integrated heart-lung assist device.

A novel integrated heart-lung assist device has been developed as a simple to use portable cardiopulmonary support system. The device comprises a centrifugal pump and an artificial lung, which is located around the pump, in an all in one system. The special membrane employed precludes plasma breakthrough in protracted use and enables preprimed setup. Test lungs consisting of the same membrane preserved gas exchange function well after 3 months of preprimed storage. The entire blood contacting surface is treated with covalent heparin bonding to impart good antithrombogenicity. Heparin bonded test lungs could be continuously perfused without systemic anticoagulation as long as 36 days in a venoarterial bypass chronic animal study using goats. The prototype device (diameter, 126 mm; height, 59 mm; membrane area, 0.85 m2; priming volume, 180 ml) demonstrated 9 L/min pump output at a 400 mm Hg pressure head and 180 ml/min oxygen and 110 ml/min carbon dioxide transfer rates at 5 L/min blood flow. We conclude that this device has potential to be the next generation cardiopulmonary support system.