Microfluidic Artificial Lung (Cycle 4)

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) and membrane-based artificial lungs present a potential life-saving technology for the 4 million people who die from respiratory failure each year. During ECMO, deoxygenated blood is continuously removed from the patient, filtered to remove CO2 and add O2, and returned to the patient''s body—effectively functioning as an artificial lung. While the clinical benefit of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been demonstrated, serious issues arise from its use. The critical component in ECMO or artificial lung systems is the membrane oxygenator: a system comprising a dense network of cylindrical micro-porous membrane fibers that separate blood from an O2-rich gas mixture. The chaotic path blood takes through the nest of hollow-fiber membranes results in uneven flow: regions of high shear stress cause hemolysis and inflammation, while stagnation zones trigger clot formation and accumulation. In clinical applications, aggressive anticoagulant medication is used to slow this process, but this can lead to bleeding complications, which are often fatal. Even with anticoagulation medication and anti- thrombogenic coatings on the hollow-fiber membranes, clots are still the primary complication for ECMO, and oxygenators rarely last more than a week. Our product is a novel microfluidic oxygenator that reduces or eliminates many known drivers of clot formation and immune activation by carefully controlling blood flow throughout the internal circuit. Using controlled fluid flow, we can dramatically reduce fluid flow resistance, decrease the necessary membrane surface area, and remove turbulent/stagnant drivers of coagulation. This reduces the chance for complications that increase the length, risk, and financial cost of hospitalization.