Dynamic bubble trap can replace an arterial filter during cardiopulmonary bypass surgery

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Surgery
• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Devices

Background:

• Arterial filters (AF) and dynamic bubble traps (DBT) are used to reduce air microbubbles in extracorporeal circuits.
• Ensuring the efficacy of these devices is crucial for patient safety during procedures like cardiopulmonary bypass.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of the dynamic bubble trap (DBT) in diminishing air microbubbles within the arterial line.
• To compare the performance of the DBT against the arterial filter (AF) and assess its potential as a replacement.

Main Methods:

• A clinical study involving 60 patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass surgery.
• Patients were divided into two groups: open and closed extracorporeal systems.
• Within each group, 15 patients received an AF and 15 received a DBT; microbubbles were counted pre- and post-device using ultrasonic Doppler.

Main Results:

• The dynamic bubble trap (DBT) demonstrated significantly lower exposure of patients to small microbubbles (< 45 microm) compared to the arterial filter (AF).
• The DBT showed superior performance in reducing larger microbubbles (> 45 microm), with an efficacy rate exceeding 16%.

Conclusions:

• The dynamic bubble trap (DBT) offers higher efficacy in removing air microbubbles than the arterial filter (AF).
• The DBT can potentially replace the AF when the latter's sole function is air removal.