Development of a valve type semi-closed extracorporeal circulation system

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Surgery
• Biomedical Engineering
• Perfusion Technology

Background:

• Perfusionists in Japan face limitations due to other clinical duties, impacting cardiopulmonary bypass case volume.
• Existing extracorporeal circulation (ECC) systems require experienced personnel, posing challenges in resource-limited settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate the safety and efficacy of a novel valve-assisted semi-closed extracorporeal circulation (VACC) system.
• To demonstrate the VACC system's ability to function independently of perfusionist experience.
• To address challenges of air management and negative pressure in closed-loop ECC.

Main Methods:

• Development of the VACC system, integrating a safety valve and a degassing pump into a conventional ECC circuit.
• Water experiments simulating low venous return to assess safety valve function.
• Water experiments to verify the constant degassing capability of the roller pump (D-pump).

Main Results:

• The safety valve effectively relieved excessive negative pressure during simulated low venous return by connecting the venous circuit to the reservoir.
• The D-pump successfully maintained constant blood storage volume, demonstrating effective air degassing.
• The VACC system demonstrated robust handling of air and safety during simulated adverse events.

Conclusions:

• The valve-assisted semi-closed extracorporeal circulation (VACC) system offers a safer and more manageable approach to cardiopulmonary bypass.
• This innovative system can mitigate risks associated with air entrainment and low venous return.
• The VACC system has the potential to broaden access to safe extracorporeal circulation procedures.