Extracorporeal blood handling system with integrated heat exchanger

Abstract

Apparatus for oxygenating and pumping blood includes a housing defining a blood flow path including, in series, a gas collection plenum, a pump space and a blood oxygenation element. A pump disposed in the pump space is configured to draw blood from the gas collection plenum and propel blood from the pump space through a heat exchanger and the blood oxygenation element. The heat exchanger includes a heat exchange plate and a coolant space.

1 . Apparatus for oxygenating and pumping blood comprising: 
 a housing defining a blood flow path including, in series, a gas collection plenum, a pump space and a blood oxygenation space;    a blood oxygenation element disposed in the blood oxygenation space;    a solenoid-controlled valve coupled to the gas collection plenum to selectively evacuate gas from the gas collection plenum;    a pump disposed in the pump space, the pump configured to draw blood from the gas collection plenum and propel blood from the pump space through the blood oxygenation element; and    a heat exchanger disposed within the housing, the heat exchanger having a surface that defines a wall of the pump space.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the surface separates a coolant space from the pump space.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the heat exchanger adds no additional priming volume to the apparatus.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the surface includes protrusions that increase a surface area available for heat exchange.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the coolant space includes a plurality of baffles that distribute coolant over the surface in the coolant space.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the pump draws blood from the gas collection plenum across the surface.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is configured for counter-current flow in which blood and coolant flow in opposite directions on opposing sides of the surface.  
   
   
       8 . Apparatus for oxygenating and pumping blood comprising: 
 a housing defining a blood flow path including, in series, a gas collection plenum, a pump space and a blood oxygenation space;    a blood oxygenation element disposed in the blood oxygenation space;    a solenoid-controlled valve coupled to the gas collection plenum to selectively evacuate gas from the gas collection plenum;    a pump disposed in the pump space, the pump configured to draw blood from the gas collection plenum and propel blood from the pump space through the blood oxygenation element; and    a heat exchanger disposed within the gas collection plenum, the heat exchanger comprising a multiplicity of tubes, each tube having a lumen defining a blood flow path and an exterior surface exposed to a coolant flow path.    
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the multiplicity of tubes facilitates removal of gas bubbles from blood passing through the heat exchanger.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a temperature sensor in communication with the blood oxygenation space.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the heat exchanger serves to filter particulate matter out of blood passing through the heat exchanger.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the heat exchanger further comprises a screen for filtering large particulate matter.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the heat exchanger further comprises a partition to guide coolant flow within the multiplicity of tubes.  
   
   
       14 . Apparatus for oxygenating and pumping blood comprising: 
 a housing defining a blood flow path including, in series, a gas collection plenum, a pump space, a heat exchanger space and a blood oxygenation space;    a blood oxygenation element disposed in the blood oxygenation space;    a solenoid-controlled valve coupled to the gas collection plenum to selectively evacuate gas from the gas collection plenum;    a heat exchanger disposed in the heat exchanger space; and    a pump disposed in the pump space, the pump configured to draw blood from the gas collection plenum and propel blood from the pump space through the heat exchanger and the blood oxygenation element.    
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the heat exchanger includes a wall defining a plurality of blood-contacting surface channels and a plurality of coolant-contacting surface channels.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the heat exchanger is configured for counter-current flow in which blood and coolant flow in opposite directions on opposing sides of the wall.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the wall forms a cylindrical surface and blood flows circumferentially about the cylindrical surface.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein a blood conduit extends through a central opening in the heat exchanger core.  
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 14  further comprising a temperature sensor in communication with the blood oxygenation space.  
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the heat exchanger further comprises one or more partitions located within the coolant space.