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M. Gföhler, C. Janeczek, A. Karabegovic, L. Futter, M. Harasek, B. Haddadi, C. Jordan, C. Krenn, S. Neudl, R. Ullrich:
"Intracorporeal Membrane Catheter for CO2 Reduction in the Blood - Drive Unit and Control System";
Poster: 44th ESAO and 7th IFAO Congress, Vienna; 06.09.2017 - 09.09.2017; in: "International Journal of Artificial Organs", Wichtig Publishing, Volume 40 Number 8 August (2017), ISSN: 0391-3988; S. 458.

Background: Patients with respiratory insufficiency may, in the worst cases, develop the so called acute respiratory
distress syndrome (ARDS), which is commonly treated using external mechanical respiration. However using such
therapeutic approach may potentially damage the alveoli of the patients´ lungs. A different approach is to reduce CO2 in
blood by an intracorporeal membrane catheter already before the gas exchange in the lung takes place.
Aim: The aim of this study was to develop a system consisting of a drive unit and a corresponding controller that together
provide the means for a rapid CO2 removal from venous blood. The system ensures optimal functionality of the
membrane by separately regulating the flow rate of blood and sweep fluid.
Methods: The drive unit is an assembly of a blood pump and power unit generating the torque, which is transmitted to the
pump by a patented magnetic coupling. The blood pump is designed to overcome the pressure difference in the membrane
of the catheter and to provide an optimal blood flow in the membrane area. An external controller regulates torque
generation in the power unit and adjusts the working point of the blood pump based on the sensory outputs measured in
the system. The central control unit is a microcontroller based on the ARM Cortex M3 architecture.
Result: The characteristic of the blood pump describing the flow against the pressure difference was recorded. The
working point of the pump depends on the operating mode of the membrane catheter and the controlled CO2 reduction
and can be set on a stable part of the pump´s characteristic curve.
Conclusion: In the blood pump sufficient specific work is done to overcome the pressure difference in the membrane
prototype. The current state of the system provides a firm basis for further refinement of the intracorporeal membrane
catheter device. Further work will investigate blood hemolysis caused by the pump.

http://dx.doi.org/10.5301/ijao.5000641

http://publik.tuwien.ac.at/files/publik_267186.pdf