Beveled shaped axial oxygenator with improved hemodynamics

Oxygenators are a lifesaving technology used for blood oxygenation and decarboxylation in case of acute respiratory failure, chronic lung disease, and during open-heart surgery. Devices typically consist of a bundle of thousands of fiber membranes in a housing, with gas flowing inside the fibers and blood flowing in the opposite direction outside the fibers. Both ends of the fiber membranes are attached with an adhesive to prevent direct contact between gas and blood. The shape of the volume through which the blood flows is determined by the housing of the oxygenator and the internal end surfaces of the bonded parts of the fiber-membrane bundle. The traditional potting process results in a volume shape that is associated with stagnation zones, which are known to promote thrombus formation. In this study, an adapted potting process is proposed which results in a blood compartment with beveled end faces of the glued bundle parts. Using a numerical study, we have demonstrated that the novel oxygenator design results in optimized flow conditions.