JPS6237994B2 - - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Technical Field The present invention relates to a hollow fiber oxygenator that removes carbon dioxide from blood and adds oxygen to blood in extracorporeal blood circulation.

Prior Art Conventionally, artificial lungs are broadly classified into bubble type and membrane type. Membrane oxygenators such as stacked, coil, and hollow fiber types cause less blood damage such as hemolysis, protein denaturation, blood coagulation, and blood cell adhesion than bubble oxygenators, and are mechanically very effective against biological lungs. It is widely recognized as being close.

However, despite the superiority of the membrane oxygenator over the bubble oxygenator, the bubble oxygenator is currently the mainstream oxygenator used in open heart surgery due to the following disadvantages of the membrane oxygenator. ing.

In other words, in the conventional membrane oxygenator, the blood flow path defined inside the flat membrane or hollow fiber membrane,
Blood flows in a laminar flow. Therefore, the oxygen addition capacity per membrane area is lower than when blood is allowed to undergo gas exchange under turbulent flow conditions, and it is necessary to use a larger membrane area in order to obtain a certain level of gas exchange performance. be.

In addition, in current membrane oxygenators, in order to obtain sufficient oxygenation capacity, the blood flow layer must be made thinner, resulting in a narrow blood flow path and a large flow resistance. It is not possible to perform so-called head perfusion, in which blood perfusion in the oxygenator can be achieved by the head difference between the oxygenator and the oxygenator.
Therefore, in a blood circuit using a membrane oxygenator, it is necessary to arrange a pump 2 on the inlet side of the oxygenator 1, that is, on the venous side, as shown in FIG. In addition, the first
In the figure, 3 is a blood storage tank, and 4 is a heat exchanger. However, in the blood circuit shown in Figure 1 above,
There is a problem in that the pressure near the outlet of the pump 2 exceeds the sum of the pressure loss in the blood feeding catheter section and the pressure loss in the oxygenator, and the internal pressure in the blood feeding circuit increases.

In addition, when using an artificial lung, as shown in Figure 1, a blood storage tank 3 is used to store blood during extracorporeal circulation, and to remove air bubbles in case of inflow, or to remove the blood in case of tube breakage, etc. It is necessary to be able to retain a certain amount of blood even when venous blood removal is insufficient or there is blood leakage. Furthermore, it is necessary to use the heat exchanger 4 to lower the blood temperature, or conversely to warm or keep it warm during surgery using the hypothermia method. However, in the case of conventional membrane oxygenators, the blood storage tank 3 and heat exchanger 4 are provided in the blood circuit independently of the oxygenator 1, which makes the circuit configuration complicated and requires time during circuit setup and priming. It takes time to remove the bubbles. In addition, since the amount of priming and the amount of blood filled are large, it becomes necessary to perform preliminary blood transfusion into the priming liquid filled in the artificial lung in advance in order to reduce dilution of blood in the living body. Especially small infants,
Since the permissible blood filling volume of an artificial lung for use in children is low, it has been desired to keep the blood filling volume of the entire circuit as described above as small as possible.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention makes it possible to improve the gas exchange efficiency per unit membrane area, to enable blood perfusion due to the head difference between the patient and the oxygenator, that is, to perform head perfusion, and to reduce the amount of blood filled in the blood circuit used. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a hollow fiber oxygenator that allows blood temperature to be adjusted in a small state.

Structure of the Invention The above object is achieved by comprising a housing, an assembly of hollow fiber membranes for gas exchange housed in the housing, and a liquid-tight sealing device that is attached to the housing with both ends of the hollow fiber membranes open. A pair of partition walls supported by the membrane, and a gas inflow port for oxygen-containing gas that communicates with the internal space of the hollow fiber membrane are provided on the outside of one of the partition walls, and the oxygen-containing gas flowing from the gas inflow port flows into one of the partition walls. The blood chamber flows into the hollow fiber membrane through one partition wall and then flows out through the other partition wall, and further includes a blood chamber formed by the pair of partition walls, the inner wall of the housing, and the outer wall of the hollow fiber membrane, and one partition wall of the side wall of the housing. A blood inflow port that communicates with the blood chamber in the vicinity, a blood outflow port that communicates with the blood chamber in the vicinity of the other partition wall of the housing side wall, and a bundle of open tubules provided in the blood chamber and supported at both ends. This is a hollow fiber oxygenator that has a blood flow path inside and a heat exchange mechanism configured to allow a heat medium to flow around the thin tube.

Further, in the hollow fiber oxygenator according to the present invention, the blood chamber has a blood reservoir on the blood outflow port side.

Further, in the hollow fiber oxygenator according to the present invention, the heat exchange mechanism section is located in the blood chamber on the blood outflow port side.

Further, in the hollow fiber oxygenator according to the present invention, the heat exchange mechanism section is located within the blood storage tank of the blood chamber.

Further, in the hollow fiber oxygenator according to the present invention, the heat exchange mechanism section is located in the blood chamber on the blood inflow port side.

Further, in the hollow fiber oxygenator according to the present invention, the blood reservoir has a gas vent communicating with the outside.

Further, in the hollow fiber oxygenator according to the present invention, the outer wall of the blood reservoir is made of a rigid material.

Further, in the hollow fiber oxygenator according to the present invention, the hollow fiber membrane has a large number of micropores that communicate between the inside and the outside.

Further, in the hollow fiber oxygenator according to the present invention, the housing has an inner cylinder part that accommodates the hollow fiber membrane, and an outer cylinder part that surrounds a part of the inner cylinder part to form a blood storage tank between the inner cylinder part and the inner cylinder part. One partition wall supporting the hollow fiber membrane is held in the inner cylinder part, and the other partition wall is held in the outer cylinder part.

Further, in the hollow fiber oxygenator according to the present invention, the housing forms a blood reservoir between an inner cylinder part that accommodates the hollow fiber membrane and the inner cylinder part by surrounding a part of the inner cylinder part. It consists of an outer cylindrical part, and both partition walls supporting the hollow fiber membrane are held in the inner cylindrical part.

Further, in the hollow fiber oxygenator according to the present invention, the inner surface of the portion of the housing with which the blood inflow port communicates is an inner surface that expands outward from the inner surface of the intermediate portion of the housing, and An annular blood flow path is formed between the peripheral portion and the peripheral portion.

Further, in the hollow fiber oxygenator according to the present invention, the expanded inner surface of the housing is eccentrically arranged with respect to the assembly of hollow fiber membranes in a direction including the communication port with the blood inflow port. The area of the blood flow path facing the communication port with the blood flow path is made larger.

Furthermore, a device that achieves the above object includes a housing, an assembly of hollow fiber membranes for gas exchange housed in the housing, and a liquid-tight connection to the housing with both ends of the hollow fiber membranes open. A pair of supporting partition walls, and a gas inflow port for oxygen-containing gas that communicates with the internal space of the hollow fiber membrane are provided on the outside of one of the partition walls, and the oxygen-containing gas flowing from the gas inflow port flows into one of the partition walls. After flowing into the inside of the hollow fiber membrane, the blood flows out through the other partition wall, and a blood chamber formed by the pair of partition walls, the inner wall of the housing, and the outer wall of the hollow fiber membrane, and the vicinity of one partition wall of the side wall of the housing. A heat exchanger comprising a blood inflow port communicating with the blood chamber at the housing side wall, a blood outflow port communicating with the blood chamber near the other partition wall of the housing side wall, and a tubular body provided in the blood chamber through which a heat medium can flow. This is a hollow fiber oxygenator having a mechanical part.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing a blood circuit to which the hollow fiber oxygenator according to the present invention is applied, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an oxygenator 50 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. , FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the oxygenator 50, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the - line in the figure.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the blood circuit to which the present invention is applied, an artificial lung 5 is connected from the venous side to the arterial side.
0 and a pump 11 are interposed.

The oxygenator 50 is constructed as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5. That is, the housing 51 of the oxygenator 50 consists of an inner cylinder part 52 and an outer cylinder part 53, both of which are made of a rigid material such as polycarbonate, acrylic resin, or acrylic-styrene copolymer resin. An assembly 55 of hollow fiber membranes 54 is housed in the inner cylinder portion 52 . Both ends of the hollow fiber membrane 54 are fluid-tightly supported by the inner cylinder part 52 via partition walls 56 and 57 held at both upper and lower ends of the inner cylinder part 52, with both ends open. There is. Headers 58 and 59 are joined to both ends of the inner cylindrical portion 52. The inner surface of the header 58 and the partition wall 56 form a gas inflow chamber 58 that communicates with the internal space of the hollow fiber membrane 54.
A gas inlet port 60 for a gas containing oxygen is formed in the header 58 . The inner surface of the header 59 and the partition wall 57 define a gas outflow chamber 59A communicating with the internal space of the hollow fiber membrane 54, and a gas outflow port 61 for gas containing oxygen is formed in the header 59. That is, the artificial lung 5
0, gases such as oxygen and air supplied from the gas inlet port 60 are allowed to flow into the hollow fiber membrane 54. Note that the header 59 is not particularly provided, and the gas outflow chamber 59A and the gas outflow port 6
The gas flowing out from the hollow fiber membrane 54 may be directly released into the atmosphere without forming the hollow fiber membrane 54.

Further, the outer surface of the housing 51, the hollow fiber membrane 54,
The partition walls 56 and 57 define a blood chamber 62, and a blood inflow port 63 is communicated with the blood chamber 62. That is, in the case of the artificial lung 50, blood supplied from the blood inflow port 63 is allowed to flow in a turbulent state around the hollow fiber membrane 54 in the blood chamber 62, thereby making it possible to perform gas exchange.

Here, the inner surface of the portion of the inner cylindrical portion 52 forming the housing 51 with which the blood inflow port 63 communicates is an inner surface expanded outward from the inner surface of the intermediate portion of the inner cylindrical portion 52, and the hollow fiber membrane 54 An annular blood flow path 63 as shown in FIG.
A is formed so that blood can be smoothly distributed to each hollow fiber membrane 54 from the entire periphery of the assembly 55 facing the blood flow path 63A. Further, the expanded inner surface of the inner cylinder portion 52 is arranged eccentrically in the direction including the blood inflow port 63 with respect to the aggregate 55, so that the flow path area of the blood flow path 63A facing the blood inflow port 63 is larger. It is said that That is, the flow area of the blood flow path 63A is gradually decreased as it moves away from the blood inflow port 63, the amount of blood distributed from the blood flow path 63A is made uniform in the circumferential direction of the aggregate 55, and the blood chamber 6
2, the flow rate of blood flowing upward can be made uniform in the circumferential direction of the aggregate 55.

Further, in the housing 51, the outer cylinder part 53 encloses the upper end portion of the inner cylinder part 52, and a blood storage tank as a part of the blood chamber 62 is provided between the inner cylinder part 52 and the outer cylinder part 53. 64 is formed. Outer cylinder part 5
Window-like communication passages 65 are opened at intervals in the circumferential direction on the side wall of the inner cylinder part 52 enclosed in the inner cylinder part 3, allowing communication between the internal space of the inner cylinder part 52 and the blood reservoir 64. Further, a gas vent 66 equipped with a breathable and bacteria-impermeable filter 66A is formed in the upper part of the outer cylinder part 53 to prevent contamination of the oxygenator 50 with bacteria during use and to keep the inside of the blood storage tank 64 constant. This makes it possible to maintain atmospheric pressure. Note that a scale is engraved on the side surface of the blood reservoir 64 to indicate the amount of blood stored. In addition, the volume of the blood storage tank 64 is set to a volume that can maintain a certain level of blood flow even in the unlikely event that venous blood removal becomes insufficient or blood leaks due to a tube breakage, etc., in other words, to ensure safety. The planned extracorporeal circulating blood volume (ml/
The size is set such that even if approximately half of the blood (min) is stored, the upper surface of the stored blood is located below the lower side of the communication path 65. That is,
By setting the volume of the blood reservoir 64 as described above, when blood flows upward through the blood chamber 62 from the blood inflow port 63, the blood overflows the lower side of the communication path 65 and flows into the blood reservoir 64. Therefore, the blood stored in the blood storage tank 64 does not apply pressure to the blood flowing upward in the blood chamber 62.

Furthermore, a blood outflow port 68 is communicated with the blood storage tank 64 via a heat exchange tank 67 that forms a part of the blood chamber 62 . A heat exchange mechanism section 69 is housed in the heat exchange tank 67 . Heat exchange mechanism section 6
9 has a bundle of thin tubes 72 that are supported at both ends by a pair of partition walls 70 and 71 in the heat exchange tank 67 and open on both sides of the blood storage tank 64 side and the blood outflow port 68 side, and blood flows through the thin tubes 72. partition walls 70, 71
and the outer wall of the thin tube 72 form a heat medium flow path. This heat medium flow path has a hot and cold water inlet port 73.
A and hot/cold water outflow port 73B are connected. Note that the thin tube 72 is formed of a stainless steel tube, an aluminum tube, or the like having high thermal conductivity.
That is, in the case of the oxygenator 50, the heat exchange tank 67
, it is possible to lower the blood temperature, or conversely to warm or keep it warm.

Here, a microporous membrane is used as the hollow fiber membrane 54. That is, the hollow fiber membrane 5
4 is made of a porous polyolefin resin such as polypropylene or polyethylene, with polypropylene being particularly preferred. This hollow fiber membrane 54 has a large number of pores that communicate between the inside and outside of the wall. The inner diameter of the pores is 100-1000μ, the wall thickness is 10-50μ, the average pore diameter is 200-2000Å, and the porosity is 20-80%. When using the hollow fiber membrane 54 made of this microporous membrane, gas movement occurs as a sedimentary flow, so the membrane resistance in gas movement is reduced, making it possible to obtain high gas exchange performance. Note that the hollow fiber membrane 54
The method is not necessarily based on a microporous membrane, but may be one using a silicone membrane or the like in which gas movement is performed by dissolution and diffusion.

By the way, the partition walls 56 and 57 are formed by the following centrifugal injection method. That is, first, a large number of hollow fiber membranes 54 longer than the length of the housing 51 are prepared, both open ends of which are sealed with a highly viscous resin, and then placed side by side in the inner cylindrical portion 52 of the housing 51. After this, the hollow fiber membrane 5
4 completely covering both ends of the housing 51 around the rotation center defined in the longitudinal direction of the housing 51.
The polymer potting material is introduced while rotating the housing 51 with its central axis in the radial direction of rotation. When the resin is cured at both ends of the inner cylinder part 52 after pouring, the outer end surface of the resin is cut with a sharp knife to expose both open ends of the hollow fiber membrane 54 to the surface, thereby forming a partition wall. 56,
57 is formed. Therefore, the partition walls 56,5
The surface facing the blood chamber 62 of No. 7 is a cylindrical concave surface as shown in FIG.

According to the artificial lung 50 according to the first embodiment, the inner diameter portion of the hollow fiber membrane 54 is used as a gas flow path, and
Since the blood chamber 62 is formed around the hollow fiber membrane 54, blood exchanges gas in the blood chamber 62 under a turbulent flow condition.
The membrane area in contact with blood increases by the difference between the inner and outer diameters of the oxygenator, which improves the oxygen addition capacity per membrane area in the oxygenator 50, making it possible to reduce the membrane area required to achieve a certain level of performance. becomes.

In addition, since the blood flow path formed by the blood chamber 62 is not narrowed, the blood flow path resistance within the blood chamber 62 is small, and as shown in the blood circuit of FIG. The drop in the lung 50 allows blood to perfuse within the oxygenator 50 . Therefore, the internal pressure of the blood-transfer side circuit is only the pressure of the blood-transfer catheter portion, and the possibility of slowing hemolysis or damage to the circuit connection portion is eliminated.

Furthermore, since the blood flow path in the blood chamber 62 is not narrowed as described above, bubbles can be quickly and easily removed during priming.

In addition, even if a microporous membrane is used as the hollow fiber membrane 54 and water vapor in the blood permeates into the hollow fiber membrane 54, the blood at about 37°C flows around the hollow fiber membrane 54, so the hollow fiber The water vapor that has permeated into the membrane 54 does not cause dew condensation within the device, and the effective membrane area of the hollow fiber membrane 54 does not decrease, thereby preventing deterioration of gas exchange performance. Furthermore, since a blood storage tank 64 and a heat exchange tank 67 are formed as part of the blood chamber 62 in the oxygenator 50, the circuit configuration can be simplified as in the bubble oxygenator as shown in FIG. This makes it possible to quickly and easily remove bubbles during circuit setup and priming. Further, the amount of priming and blood filling of the blood circuit in which the artificial lung 50 is used is reduced, and the need for preliminary blood transfusion into the priming liquid such as physiological saline that is filled into the artificial lung 50 in advance is reduced.
It is particularly effective for infants, children, etc. who are small in weight and have a low permissible blood filling volume for the oxygenator to be used.

In addition, in the first embodiment, the hollow fiber membrane 5
Although both partition walls 56 and 57 supporting the upper and lower ends of the hollow fiber membrane 4 are held in the inner cylinder part 52, the partition walls supporting the upper end of the hollow fiber membrane may be held in the outer cylinder part.

FIG. 6 shows an artificial lung 8 according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. The housing 81 of the oxygenator 80 consists of an inner cylinder part 82 and an outer cylinder part 83. In the inner cylinder part 82, an assembly 85 of hollow fiber membranes 84 is provided.
is stored. Both ends of the hollow fiber membrane 84 are connected to partition walls 8 held at both upper and lower ends of the inner cylinder part 82.
It is liquid-tightly supported by the inner cylindrical portion 82 via 6 and 87. Headers 88, 8 are provided at both ends of the inner cylinder portion 82.
9 are joined. The inner surface of the header 88 and the partition wall 86 define a gas inflow chamber, as in the oxygenator 50, and the header 88 has a gas inflow port 90 formed therein. Further, the inner surface of the header 89 and the partition wall 87 define a gas outflow chamber as in the oxygenator 50, and a gas outflow port 91 is formed in the header 89. In addition, the inner wall of the housing 81, the outer wall of the hollow fiber membrane 84, the partition wall 8
6 and 87 define a blood chamber 92, and a blood inflow port 93 is formed at the lower end side of the inner cylinder portion 82.
That is, in the case of the artificial lung 80, gases such as oxygen and air supplied from the gas inflow port 90 are allowed to flow into the hollow fiber membrane 84, and blood supplied from the blood inflow port 93 is allowed to flow into the blood chamber 92. Flowing around the hollow fiber membrane 84 in a turbulent state,
This allows for gas exchange.

Further, in the artificial lung 80, the inner cylinder part 82
A blood reservoir 94 as a part of the blood chamber 92 is formed between the outer cylinder portion 83 and the outer cylinder portion 83 . Window-like communication passages 95 are opened at intervals in the circumferential direction on the side wall of the inner cylinder part 82 enclosed in the outer cylinder part 83.
A blood chamber 92 and a blood storage tank 94 inside can communicate with each other. A gas vent 96 communicating with a blood reservoir 94 is provided at the upper part of the outer cylindrical portion 83 . Further, a blood outflow port 94A that communicates with a blood reservoir 94 is formed in the lower part of the outer cylinder portion 83. That is,
The blood reservoir 94 can store gas-exchanged blood similarly to the blood reservoir 64 of the artificial lung 50.

Furthermore, the blood storage tank 94 of the oxygenator 80 also functions as a heat exchange tank 97 and houses a heat exchange mechanism section 98. The heat exchange mechanism section 98 consists of a bundle of thin tubes 101 supported at both ends by a pair of partition walls 99, 100 in the heat exchange tank 97, and the thin tubes 101 are opened on the outer surface side of both the partition walls 99, 100 with respect to the blood storage tank 94. , the inside of the thin tube 101 is used as a flow path for the heat medium. This heat medium flow path includes a hot and cold water inlet port 102A.
and a hot and cold water outflow port 102B. That is, the heat exchange tank 97 is capable of cooling, heating, or keeping warm the gas-exchanged blood.

Therefore, the artificial lung 80 according to the second embodiment
According to the above, as in the oxygenator 50, it is possible to improve the gas exchange efficiency per unit membrane area of the hollow fiber membrane 84, and also to enable blood perfusion due to the head difference between the patient and the oxygenator 80, that is, head perfusion. By having the blood storage tank 94 and the heat exchange tank 97 as part of the blood chamber 92, it is possible to reduce the amount of blood filled in the blood circuit used.

FIG. 7 shows an artificial lung 1 according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. The oxygenator 110 is substantially the same as the oxygenator 80 according to the second embodiment, and the same functional parts are given the same reference numerals and the explanation will be omitted. This oxygenator 110 differs from the oxygenator 80 in that a heat exchange mechanism section 111 different from that in the oxygenator 80 is provided inside the heat exchange tank 97. This heat exchange mechanism section 111 consists of a tubular body 112 wound into a coil shape, and includes a hot and cold water inflow port 113A and a hot and cold water outflow port 113B.
It is equipped with

According to the oxygenator 110, as in the oxygenator 50, it is possible to improve the gas exchange efficiency per unit membrane area of the hollow fiber membrane 84, and the blood perfusion due to the head difference between the patient and the oxygenator 110, By enabling head perfusion and having the blood storage tank 94 and heat exchange tank 97 as part of the blood chamber 92, it becomes possible to reduce the amount of blood filled in the blood circuit used.

FIG. 8 shows an artificial lung 1 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the device. The housing 121 of the oxygenator 120 consists of an inner cylinder part 122 and an outer cylinder part 123. A hollow fiber membrane 124 is provided in the inner cylinder portion 122.
A collection 125 of 125 is accommodated. Hollow fiber membrane 12
Both ends of the inner cylinder part 12 are connected to the inner cylinder part 12 through partition walls 126 and 127 held at both upper and lower ends of the inner cylinder part 122.
2 in a liquid-tight manner. Headers 128 and 129 are joined to both ends of the inner cylinder portion 122. The inner surface of the header 128 and the partition wall 127 define a gas inflow chamber as in the oxygenator 50, and the header 128 has a gas inflow port 130.
is formed. Further, the inner surface of the header 129 and the partition wall 126 define a gas outflow chamber, as in the oxygenator 50, and a gas outflow port 131 is formed in the header 129. Also,
The inner wall of the housing 121, the outer wall of the hollow fiber membrane 124, and the partition walls 126, 127 define a blood chamber 132, and a blood inflow port 133 is connected to the lower end side of the inner cylinder portion 122 via a communication portion 133A.
That is, in the case of the artificial lung 120, gases such as oxygen and air supplied from the gas inflow port 130 flow through the hollow fiber membrane 124, and blood supplied from the blood inflow port 133 flows into the blood chamber 132.
The gas is allowed to flow around the hollow fiber membrane 124 in a turbulent state, thereby making it possible to perform gas exchange.

Furthermore, in the oxygenator 120, an inner cylinder part 122 and an outer cylinder part 123 forming the housing 121 are provided.
During the blood reservoir 13 as part of the blood chamber 132
4 is formed. Window-like communication passages 135 are opened at intervals in the circumferential direction on the side wall of the inner cylinder part 122 enclosed in the outer cylinder part 123, and communicate the blood chamber 132 in the inner cylinder part 122 with the blood storage tank 134. It is possible. In addition, a blood storage tank 1 is provided in the upper part of the outer cylinder part 123.
A gas vent 136 communicating with 34 is provided. Further, a blood storage tank 13 is provided at the lower part of the outer cylinder part 123.
A blood outflow port 134A that communicates with 4 is formed. That is, the blood reservoir 134 is connected to the oxygenator 50.
Similarly to the blood storage tank 64 in , it is possible to store gas-exchanged blood.

Further, in the housing 121, between the blood inflow port 133 and the communication path 133A, the blood chamber 1
32, and is a heat exchange tank 136 that includes a heat exchange mechanism section 135. The heat exchange mechanism section 135 includes a pair of partition walls 13 in the heat exchange tank 136.
It consists of a bundle of thin tubes 139 that are supported at both ends by 7, 138 and open to both the blood inflow port 133 side and the communicating path 133A side, and the internal space of the thin tubes 139 is used as a blood flow path, and the partition walls 137, 138 and the thin tubes 139 A heat medium flow path is formed by the outer wall. A hot and cold water inflow port 140A and a hot and cold water outflow port 140B are connected to this heat medium flow path.

Therefore, the artificial lung 12 according to the fourth embodiment
According to 0, as in the artificial lung 50,
It is possible to improve the gas exchange efficiency per unit membrane area of the hollow fiber membrane 124, and to improve the gas exchange efficiency between the patient and the oxygenator 120.
The blood storage tank 1 is used as part of the blood chamber 132 to enable blood perfusion due to the head difference between the blood chamber 132 and the blood chamber 132.
34 and a heat exchange tank 136,
It becomes possible to reduce the amount of blood filled in the blood circuit used.

The heat exchange mechanism in the present invention is preferably provided on the blood outflow port side as in the first embodiment, or in the blood storage tank as in the second and third embodiments. This is because if the heat exchange section is provided before the blood is oxygenated, the gravitational force provided by the head will be lost, which will adversely affect the head perfusion. However, if a hollow heat exchange mechanism part is used as in the fourth embodiment, the above-mentioned loss is small and it can be used satisfactorily. Furthermore, it is preferable to provide the heat exchange mechanism within the blood storage tank or on the blood outflow port side, since this is less susceptible to the influence of outside temperature and improves heat exchange efficiency.

Note that as the thin tube forming the heat exchange mechanism in the present invention, a thin tube 142 having fins 141 as shown in FIG. 9 may be used.

Further, in the present invention, the annular blood flow path 63A portion in the oxygenator 50 according to the first embodiment may be selected as the blood chamber portion in which the heat exchange mechanism portion is installed.

Specific Effects of the Invention As described above, the hollow fiber oxygenator according to the present invention includes a housing, an assembly of hollow fiber membranes for gas exchange housed in the housing, and both ends of the hollow fiber membranes. A pair of partition walls are liquid-tightly supported by the housing in an open state, and a gas inflow port for oxygen-containing gas is provided on the outside of one of the partition walls and communicates with the internal space of the hollow fiber membrane. The gas containing oxygen flowing from the port flows into the hollow fiber membrane through one partition wall and then flows out from the other partition wall, and is further formed by the pair of partition walls, the inner wall of the housing, and the outer wall of the hollow fiber membrane. a blood chamber, a blood inflow port that communicates with the blood chamber near one partition wall of the housing side wall, a blood outflow port that communicates with the blood chamber near the other partition wall of the housing side wall, and a blood outflow port that is provided within the blood chamber and has both ends connected to the blood chamber; It is made up of a bundle of supported thin tubes with openings, the inside of the thin tubes is used as a blood flow path, and it has a heat exchange mechanism configured to allow a heat medium to flow around the thin tubes, so that it is possible to prevent the blood from flowing under turbulent flow conditions. This enables gas exchange to be carried out in the blood chamber to improve the gas exchange efficiency per unit membrane area, as well as to reduce blood inflow resistance in the blood chamber and enable blood perfusion due to the head difference between the patient and the oxygenator. By providing a heat exchange mechanism in the blood circuit, it becomes possible to shorten the blood circuit and adjust the blood temperature while keeping the total amount of blood filled.

Further, in the hollow fiber oxygenator according to the present invention, the blood chamber has a blood reservoir on the blood outflow port side, so that the blood circuit can be shortened and the amount of blood filled in the blood circuit can be made smaller. It becomes possible to do so.

Further, the hollow fiber oxygenator according to the present invention has the above-mentioned effects by disposing the heat exchange mechanism section in the blood chamber on the blood outflow port side, and also has the effect of reducing the gravity applied to the blood due to the head. There is no loss.

Further, in the hollow fiber oxygenator according to the present invention, the same effect as described above can be obtained by providing the heat exchange mechanism section within the blood storage tank of the blood chamber.

Further, in the hollow fiber oxygenator according to the present invention, the blood reservoir has a gas vent that communicates with the outside, so that the inside of the blood reservoir can be maintained at atmospheric pressure at all times.

Further, in the hollow fiber oxygenator according to the present invention, the outer wall of the blood storage tank is made of a rigid material, and furthermore, by displaying a scale, fluctuations in the amount of extracorporeally circulating blood can be easily confirmed.

Furthermore, in the hollow fiber oxygenator according to the present invention, the hollow fiber membrane has a large number of micropores that communicate between the inside and the outside, thereby reducing membrane resistance in gas movement and improving gas exchange performance. It becomes possible to improve.

Further, in the hollow fiber oxygenator according to the present invention, the housing forms a blood reservoir between an inner cylinder part that accommodates the hollow fiber membrane and the inner cylinder part by surrounding a part of the inner cylinder part. By holding one partition wall that supports the hollow fiber membrane in the inner cylinder part and holding the other partition wall in the outer cylinder part, it is possible to have a relatively simple structure. becomes.

Further, in the hollow fiber oxygenator according to the present invention, the housing forms a blood reservoir between an inner cylinder part that accommodates the hollow fiber membrane and the inner cylinder part by surrounding a part of the inner cylinder part. By holding both partition walls, which support the hollow fiber membrane, in the inner cylinder part, it is possible to have a simpler structure and facilitate manufacturing.

Further, in the hollow fiber oxygenator according to the present invention, the inner surface of the portion of the housing with which the blood inflow port communicates is an inner surface that expands outward from the inner surface of the intermediate portion of the housing, and By forming an annular blood flow path between the blood flow path and the peripheral portion, blood can be smoothly distributed to each hollow fiber membrane from the entire periphery of the assembly facing the blood flow path.

Further, in the hollow fiber oxygenator according to the present invention, the expanded inner surface of the housing is eccentrically arranged with respect to the assembly of hollow fiber membranes in a direction including the communication port with the blood inflow port. By increasing the flow area of the blood flow path facing the communication port with the blood flow path, the amount of blood distributed from the blood flow path is made uniform in the circumferential direction of the assembly, and the housing It becomes possible to equalize the flow rate of blood in the axial direction in the circumferential direction of the aggregate.

Further, the hollow fiber oxygenator of the present invention includes a housing, an assembly of hollow fiber membranes for gas exchange housed in the housing, and a liquid injected into the housing with both ends of the hollow fiber membranes open. A pair of partition walls are closely supported, and a gas inflow port for oxygen-containing gas that communicates with the internal space of the hollow fiber membrane is provided on the outside of one of the partition walls, and the oxygen-containing gas flowing from the gas inflow port is provided on the outside of one of the partition walls. After flowing into the hollow fiber membrane through one partition wall, the blood flows out through the other partition wall, and a blood chamber formed by the pair of partition walls, the inner wall of the housing, and the outer wall of the hollow fiber membrane, and one of the side walls of the housing. Consisting of a blood inflow port communicating with the blood chamber near the partition wall, a blood outflow port communicating with the blood chamber near the other partition wall of the housing side wall, and a tubular body provided in the blood chamber through which a heat medium can flow. Since it has a heat exchange mechanism part, gas exchange is performed under the turbulent blood flow state, and the gas exchange efficiency per unit membrane area can be improved, and the blood inflow resistance in the blood chamber is reduced. Blood perfusion is enabled by the head difference between the patient and the oxygenator, and a heat exchange mechanism is provided in the blood chamber to shorten the blood circuit and reduce the overall blood filling volume, thereby reducing blood temperature. It becomes possible to make adjustments.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing a blood circuit to which a conventional membrane oxygenator is applied, and FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing a blood circuit to which a hollow fiber oxygenator according to the present invention is applied. 3 is a perspective view showing an oxygenator according to the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the oxygenator according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a cross-section taken along the - line in FIG. 4. 6 is a perspective view showing an artificial lung according to a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an oxygenator according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing an oxygenator according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the oxygenator according to the fourth embodiment, and FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the finned thin tube forming the heat exchange mechanism section in the present invention. 50, 80, 110, 120...artificial lung, 5
1,81,121...Housing, 52,82,
122...Inner cylinder part, 53,83,123...Outer cylinder part, 54,84,124...Hollow fiber membrane, 55,8
5,125...Aggregation, 56,57,86,8
7,126,127...Bulkhead, 60,90,13
0... Gas inflow port, 62, 92, 132...
Blood chamber, 63, 93, 133... Blood inflow port, 63A... Blood flow path, 64, 94, 134...
...Blood storage tank, 68,94A,134A...Blood outflow port, 43,66,96,136...Gas vent, 69,98,111,135...Heat exchange mechanism section, 70,71,99,100,137, 138
...Partition, 72, 101, 139, 142... Thin tube, 112... Tubular body.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A housing, an assembly of hollow fiber membranes for gas exchange housed within the housing, and a pair of hollow fiber membranes that are liquid-tightly supported by the housing with both ends thereof open. a partition wall, and a gas inflow port for oxygen-containing gas that communicates with the internal space of the hollow fiber membrane is provided on the outside of one of the partition walls, and the oxygen-containing gas flowing from the gas inflow port flows through the hollow fibers from one partition wall. After flowing into the membrane, the blood flows out from the other partition wall, and further includes a blood chamber formed by the pair of partition walls, the inner wall of the housing, and the outer wall of the hollow fiber membrane, and a blood chamber near one partition wall of the housing side wall. a blood inflow port that communicates with the blood chamber, a blood outflow port that communicates with the blood chamber near the other partition wall of the housing side wall, and a thin tube bundle that is provided in the blood chamber and is open at both ends and that allows blood to flow through the thin tubes. What is claimed is: 1. A hollow fiber oxygenator comprising a heat exchange mechanism configured to allow a heat medium to flow around the thin tube. 2. The hollow fiber oxygenator according to claim 1, wherein the blood chamber has a blood reservoir on the blood outflow port side. 3. The hollow fiber oxygenator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the heat exchange mechanism section is located in the blood chamber on the blood outflow port side. 4. The hollow fiber oxygenator according to claim 2, wherein the heat exchange mechanism is located within the blood storage tank of the blood chamber. 5. The hollow fiber oxygenator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the heat exchange mechanism section is located in a blood chamber on the blood inflow port side. 6. The hollow fiber oxygenator according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the blood reservoir has a gas vent communicating with the outside. 7. The hollow fiber oxygenator according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the blood reservoir is made of a rigid material and has a scale display. 8. Claim 1, wherein the hollow fiber membrane has a large number of micropores communicating between the inside and the outside.
The hollow fiber oxygenator according to any one of Items 7 to 7. 9 The housing includes an inner cylinder part that accommodates the hollow fiber membrane, and an outer cylinder part that surrounds a part of the inner cylinder part to form a blood reservoir between the inner cylinder part and supports the hollow fiber membrane. The hollow fiber oxygenator according to any one of claims 2 to 8, wherein one of the partition walls is held in the inner cylinder part and the other partition wall is held in the outer cylinder part. 10 The housing includes an inner cylinder part that accommodates the hollow fiber membrane, and an outer cylinder part that surrounds a part of the inner cylinder part to form a blood reservoir between the inner cylinder part and supports the hollow fiber membrane. The hollow fiber oxygenator according to any one of claims 2 to 8, wherein both partition walls are held in the inner cylinder part. 11 The inner surface of the portion of the housing where the blood inflow port is provided is an inner surface that extends outward from the inner surface of the intermediate portion of the housing, and has an annular blood flow between it and the outer periphery of the hollow fiber membrane assembly. A hollow fiber oxygenator according to any one of claims 1 to 10, which forms a channel. 12 A patent in which the expanded inner surface of the housing is eccentrically arranged in a direction including the blood inflow port with respect to the assembly of hollow fiber membranes, and the flow path area of the blood flow path facing the blood inflow port is larger. A hollow fiber oxygenator according to claim 11. 13 A housing, an assembly of hollow fiber membranes for gas exchange housed within the housing, a pair of partition walls that are liquid-tightly supported by the housing with both ends of the hollow fiber membranes open, and the partition walls. A gas inflow port for oxygen-containing gas that communicates with the internal space of the hollow fiber membrane is provided on the outside of one of the hollow fiber membranes, and after the oxygen-containing gas that flows from the gas inflow port flows into the inside of the hollow fiber membrane through one partition wall. A blood chamber configured to flow out from the other partition wall and further formed by the pair of partition walls, the inner wall of the housing, and the outer wall of the hollow fiber membrane, and a blood inflow port that communicates with the blood chamber near one partition wall of the side wall of the housing. and a blood outflow port communicating with the blood chamber in the vicinity of the other partition wall of the housing side wall, and a heat exchange mechanism section formed of a tubular body provided in the blood chamber and through which a heat medium can flow. hollow fiber oxygenator. 14. The hollow fiber oxygenator according to claim 13, wherein the blood chamber has a blood reservoir on the blood outflow port side. 15. The hollow fiber oxygenator according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the tubular body is a bundle of open thin tubes supported at both ends, and allows a heat medium to flow through the thin tubes. 16. The hollow fiber oxygenator according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the heat exchange mechanism is located in a blood chamber on the blood outflow port side. 17. The hollow fiber oxygenator according to claim 14, wherein the heat exchange mechanism is located within the blood storage tank of the blood chamber. 18. The hollow fiber oxygenator according to any one of claims 13 to 17, wherein the heat exchange mechanism is located in a blood chamber on the blood inflow port side. 19. The hollow fiber oxygenator according to any one of claims 14 to 18, wherein the blood reservoir has a gas vent communicating with the outside. 20. The hollow fiber oxygenator according to any one of claims 14 to 19, wherein the blood reservoir is made of a rigid material and has a scale display. 21. The hollow fiber oxygenator according to any one of claims 13 to 20, wherein the hollow fiber membrane has a large number of micropores that communicate between the inside and the outside. 22 The housing includes an inner cylinder part that accommodates the hollow fiber membrane, and an outer cylinder part that surrounds a part of the inner cylinder part to form a blood reservoir between the inner cylinder part and supports the hollow fiber membrane. The hollow fiber oxygenator according to any one of claims 14 to 21, wherein one of the partition walls is held in the inner cylinder part and the other partition wall is held in the outer cylinder part. 23 The housing includes an inner cylinder part that accommodates the hollow fiber membrane, and an outer cylinder part that surrounds a part of the inner cylinder part to form a blood reservoir between the inner cylinder part and supports the hollow fiber membrane. The hollow fiber oxygenator according to any one of claims 14 to 21, wherein both partition walls are held in the inner cylinder part. 24 The inner surface of the portion of the housing where the blood inflow port is provided is an inner surface that expands outward from the inner surface of the intermediate portion of the housing, and has an annular blood flow between it and the outer periphery of the hollow fiber membrane assembly. A hollow fiber oxygenator according to any one of claims 13 to 23, which forms a channel. 25 A patent in which the expanded inner surface of the housing is eccentrically arranged in a direction including the blood inflow port with respect to the assembly of hollow fiber membranes, and the flow path area of the blood flow path facing the blood inflow port is larger. The hollow fiber oxygenator according to claim 24.