Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

An integrated heart-lung machine, which includes a blood pump having a casing of a cup-like shape interiorly defining a pump chamber at an intermediate portion thereof for pumping in and out blood from a blood inlet to a guide flange formed at opposite ends of the casing; a rotor having a rotary member securely fixed to the fore end thereof within the pump chamber and journalled in the guide flange; an artificial lung of a doughnut-like or cylindrical shape connected contiguously to a blood flow passage in the guide flange and concentrically with the rotor; a stator detachably fitted in an intermediate portion between the rotor and the artificial lung; and a pedestal base located at one side of the artificial lung and provided with a blood outlet in communication with the artificial lung. Accordingly, influent blood to the pump chamber is sent into the artificial lung through the blood passage by the pumping action of the rotor, and is refreshed by contact with air or oxygen in the lung, which is maintained in a heated state by the stator, and returned to the patient's body through the blood outlet. This arrangement permits minimizing of the length of the blood circulating passages to and through the machine and permits shortening and minimizing of the blood passages interconnecting the blood pump, artificial lung and blood filter, while preventing blood contamination and leaks as well as blood cell destruction. Easy installation and handling is also permitted in a sanitary region on a bed or on an operating table.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim