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Tubing failure during prolonged roller pump use: a laboratory study.
1Heartlink ECMO Centre, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, UK. ycq57@dial.pipex.com
Perfusion
|December 10, 1999
Summary
Mechanical forces on extracorporeal circuit tubing during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can cause rupture. Optimizing roller pump settings may extend tubing life, crucial for patient safety.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
Background:
- Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) relies on tubing within roller pumps.
- Understanding mechanical forces on this tubing is critical for prolonged use.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the time to rupture for different tubing materials under ECMO conditions.
- To investigate the failure mechanisms of ECMO tubing.
Main Methods:
- Tested three tubing materials (Tygon, LVA, SRT) for rupture time during simulated ECMO.
- Examined Tygon tubing under compression and over-occlusion using microscopy.
Main Results:
- Tygon showed the longest rupture time (243.7 h), followed by LVA (121 h) and SRT (6.6 h).
- Over-occlusion of Tygon tubing led to cracks within 24 hours.
- Microscopy revealed coexisting shear stress and compression as failure modes.
Conclusions:
- Tubing material significantly impacts longevity during ECMO.
- Pump over-occlusion accelerates tubing failure.
- Adjusting pump settings to reduce occlusion may enhance ECMO circuit safety and duration.