Method of making radial design oxygenator with heat exchanger

Abstract

Described is a method of making an apparatus for oxygenating and controlling the temperature of blood in an extracorporeal circuit, the steps comprising: providing a core through which blood can be supplied to the apparatus from a patient; providing a heat exchanger about the core such that blood from the core can move radially outward through the heat exchanger; providing an oxygenator about the heat exchanger such that blood from the heat exchanger can move radially outward through the oxygenator; and placing the core, heat exchanger and oxygenator in a housing that includes an inlet in communication with the core and an outlet that is located radially outward from the inlet in order to define a flowpath for blood through the apparatus.

1 . A method of making an apparatus for oxygenating and controlling the temperature of blood in an extracorporeal circuit, the steps comprising:
 providing a core through which blood can be supplied to the apparatus from a patient;   providing a heat exchanger about the core such that blood from the core can move radially outward through the heat exchanger;   providing an oxygenator about the heat exchanger such that blood from the heat exchanger can move radially outward through the oxygenator; and   placing the core, heat exchanger and oxygenator in a housing that includes an inlet in communication with the core and an outlet that is located radially outward from the inlet in order to define a flowpath for blood through the apparatus.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is arranged concentrically about the core. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oxygenator is arranged concentrically about the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises a plurality of heat transfer elements. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of heat transfer elements include a lumen through which a fluid medium can be supplied in order to control the temperature of blood that can move radially outward between the plurality of heat transfer elements. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of heat transfer elements are arranged such that movement of the fluid medium through the plurality of heat transfer elements is substantially transverse to the radially outward direction that blood can move between the plurality of heat transfer elements. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of heat transfer elements are arranged on an outer surface of the core. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising the step of winding the plurality of heat transfer elements on the core. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oxygenator comprises a plurality of gas exchange elements. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of gas exchange elements include a lumen through which an oxygen-containing gas medium can be supplied in order to oxygenate blood that can move radially outward between the plurality of gas exchange elements. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of gas exchange elements are arranged such that movement of the gas medium through the plurality of gas exchange elements is substantially transverse to the radially outward direction that blood can move between the plurality of gas exchange elements. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of gas exchange elements are arranged on an outer surface of the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the step of winding the plurality of gas exchange elements on the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the gas exchange elements comprise hollow microporous fibers. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a step of surrounding the heat exchanger with a mandrel prior to the step of providing the oxygenator about the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of removing the mandrel after the oxygenator is concentrically provided about the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the core comprises a lumen having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of openings through which blood can move radially outward. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein blood can move axially along the lumen of the core until reaching the plurality of openings and then can move radially outward through the plurality of openings in a substantially transverse direction to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a step of providing a pump in the core. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises a collection space between the oxygenator and an inner surface of the housing, which is in communication with the blood outlet and that circumferentially surrounds the oxygenator and allows blood to collect therein and move through the collection space to the blood outlet. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises concave structure in an inner surface of the housing and surrounding the blood outlet. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a step of arranging a filter around the oxygenator. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of surrounding first and second ends of the heat exchanger by a first and second removable circumferential elements. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising a step of removing the removable circumferential elements after the oxygenator is provided about the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein removing the circumferential elements creates spaces between the first and second ends of the heat exchanger and the oxygenator, and the housing comprises a projection that fits within the spaces between the heat exchanger and oxygenator created by removal of the circumferential elements. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the core comprises a longitudinal axis and blood can move radially outward from the core through substantially all of 360 degrees around the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the core comprises a longitudinal axis and blood can move radially outward through the heat exchanger through substantially all of 360 degrees around the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the core comprises a longitudinal axis and blood can move radially outward through the oxygenator through substantially all of 360 degrees around the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         29 . A method of making an apparatus for oxygenating and controlling the temperature of blood in an extracorporeal circuit, the steps comprising:
 providing a core through which blood can be supplied to the apparatus from a patient;   providing a heat exchanger about the core such that blood from the core can move radially outward through the heat exchanger; and   providing an oxygenator about the heat exchanger such that there is no structural obstruction between the heat exchanger and the oxygenator, and blood from the heat exchanger can move radially outward through the oxygenator.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the heat exchanger is provided such that there is no structural obstruction between the core and the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the heat exchanger is arranged concentrically about the core. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the oxygenator is arranged concentrically about the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the core comprises a longitudinal axis and blood can move radially outward from the core through substantially all of 360 degrees around the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the core comprises a longitudinal axis and blood can move radially outward through the heat exchanger through substantially all of 360 degrees around the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the core comprises a longitudinal axis and blood can move radially outward through the oxygenator through substantially all of 360 degrees around the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         36 . A method of making an apparatus for oxygenating and controlling the temperature of blood in an extracorporeal circuit, the steps comprising:
 providing a core through which blood can be supplied to the apparatus from a patient;   providing a heat exchanger comprising a plurality of heat transfer elements;   arranging the plurality of heat transfer elements about the core such that blood from the core can move radially outward between the plurality of heat transfer elements;   providing an oxygenator comprising a plurality of gas exchange elements; and   arranging the plurality of gas exchange elements about the heat exchanger such that at least one of the gas exchange elements contacts at least one of the heat transfer elements, and such that blood can move radially outward between the plurality of gas exchange elements.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the plurality of heat transfer elements are arranged concentrically about the core. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the plurality of gas exchange elements are arranged concentrically about the core. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the plurality of heat transfer elements include a lumen through which a heat transfer medium can be supplied in order to control the temperature of blood that can move radially outward between the plurality of heat transfer elements, and the plurality of gas exchange elements include a lumen through which an oxygen-containing gas medium can be supplied in order to oxygenate blood that can move radially outward between the plurality of gas exchange elements. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising the step of potting the heat transfer elements and the gas exchange elements at first and second ends of heat transfer elements and gas exchange elements. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  40 , further comprising the step of partially cutting through the potted ends of the heat transfer elements and gas exchange elements in order to open the lumens of the heat transfer elements and gas exchange elements. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , further comprising the step of placing the potted and cut ends of the heat transfer elements and gas exchange elements in a housing such that the lumens of the heat transfer elements are in communication with the heat transfer medium and the lumens of the gas exchange elements are in communication with the oxygen-containing gas medium. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the core comprises a longitudinal axis and blood can move radially outward from the core through substantially all of 360 degrees around the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the core comprises a longitudinal axis and blood can move radially outward through the heat exchanger through substantially all of 360 degrees around the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the core comprises a longitudinal axis and blood can move radially outward through the oxygenator through substantially all of 360 degrees around the longitudinal axis.