Importance

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Abstract

A heat exchanger is provided for use in a blood handling system whereby the blood may be selectively heated or cooled, as required by the nature and stage of the operation. The heat exchanger, in the preferred embodiment, is in the form of a cylindrical housing having walls defining a helical path for the flow of blood through the exchanger and about the axis of the housing. The heat exchanging medium, typically water, flows separately through a conduit in the housing, the walls of which at least partially define the helical blood conduit for heating or cooling the blood flowing therethrough. The heat exchanger is characterized by a controlled route for the blood so as to uniformly expose the blood to the same type of heating or cooling and without creating dead spots in the blood flow. A long path of blood flow is provided in a small package with a highly efficient thermal transfer.

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First Claim