Evaluation of infant membrane oxygenator in sheep

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Cardiovascular Research
• Medical Device Technology

Background:

• Extracorporeal circulation (CEC) requires efficient oxygenators to maintain physiological gas exchange.
• Evaluating novel membrane oxygenators is crucial for improving patient outcomes during cardiac procedures.
• The OXM-1500 is a new membrane oxygenator designed for infant use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the safety and efficacy of the OXM-1500 membrane oxygenator.
• To evaluate gas transfer capabilities (oxygen and carbon dioxide) during simulated CEC.
• To monitor the impact of the device on blood components and temperature regulation.

Main Methods:

• Six Santa Inês sheep underwent CEC using the OXM-1500 for up to 240 minutes.
• Measurements included oxygen and carbon dioxide transfer (TTO2, TTCO2), hemoglobin (HBS), free hemoglobin (HBL), platelets, leucocytes, and heat transfer.
• Data were collected at multiple time points during the procedure.

Main Results:

• The OXM-1500 exhibited adequate oxygen and carbon dioxide transfer rates.
• Insignificant damage to blood elements was observed, with stable HBS and HBL levels.
• Platelet and leucocyte counts decreased over time, while heat exchange was effective (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• The OXM-1500 infant oxygenator proved effective in oxygenation and CO2 removal in a sheep model.
• The device demonstrated minimal alterations to hemoglobin and platelets, with no significant leucocyte decrease.
• The integrated heat exchanger efficiently managed temperature during extracorporeal circulation.