A Novel 3D-Printed Gravity-Independent Air-Eliminating Filter for Rapid Intravenous Infusions.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Aerospace Medicine

Background:

• Separating gases from liquids is challenging without gravity, hindering medical procedures like intravenous (IV) fluid administration in spaceflight and field medicine.
• Current air-eliminating filters are incompatible with high flow rates and blood, limiting their use in critical care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel, 3D-printed inline air-eliminating filter for intravenous fluid administration.
• To enable safe and effective IV fluid and medication delivery in microgravity and challenging field conditions.

Main Methods:

• Computer-aided design and Selective Laser Sintering 3D printing were used to create nylon 12 filters with a 0.2-μm membrane and spiral baffles.
• The 3D-printed filters were tested for air removal efficiency and flow rates, comparing performance against commercially available filters.

Main Results:

• The 3D-printed filters demonstrated superior performance in both percentage of air removed and flow rates compared to commercial filters.
• The centrifugal, baffled filter design significantly exceeded commercial filter flow rates, particularly during rapid transfusion simulations.

Conclusions:

• A novel air-eliminating filter compatible with blood and rapid transfusion has been successfully developed and validated.
• This technology allows for the administration of intravenous fluids and medications without a consistent gravitational vector, enhancing medical capabilities in microgravity and field environments.