Robert Manuel Fernandez

US Patent:

53125894, May 17, 1994

Filed:

Mar 4, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/019400

Inventors:

Gary D. Reeder - Morrison CO
Thomas C. Robinson - Berkeley CA
Thomas P. Sahines - Milpitas CA
Robert K. Fernandez - Santa Clara CA

Assignee:

Electromedics, Inc. - Parker CO

International Classification:

A61M 114

US Classification:

422 45

Abstract:

A gas transfer apparatus readily adapted for oxygenating blood includes a housing with a hollow internal chamber having a fiber mat consisting of two sets of intermingled hollow fibers with one set of fibers having micropores formed in the walls thereof and the other set having solid liquid impermeable walls. The housing for the apparatus is designed such that the blood being processed passes substantially uniformly across the entire cross section of the fiber mat whereby a treating gas such as oxygen being directed through the microporous fibers can be diffused into the oxygen deficient blood while excess CO. sub. 2 in the blood can cross diffuse into the interior of the fiber and be removed from the apparatus. Simultaneously with the cross diffusion of gas between the microporous fibers and the blood, a thermal conducting fluid such as water is passed through the solid walled fibers to maintain or regulate the temperature of the blood in the apparatus. The microporous and solid walled fibers may be woven in layers which are laminated to form a predetermined mat thickness separated by layers with only parallel fibers of a single set in each layer.