BLOOD PROCESSING UNIT WITH MODIFIED FLOW PATH

摘要

A blood processing apparatus may include a heat exchanger and a gas exchanger. At least one of the heat exchanger and the gas exchanger may be configured to impart a radial component to blow flow through the heat exchanger and/or gas exchanger. The heat exchanger may be configured to cause blood flow to follow a spiral flow path.

主权项

1. A blood processing apparatus comprising:
a housing having a blood inlet and a blood outlet, the blood inlet extending into an interior of the housing; a heat exchanger core arranged within the housing, the heat exchanger core having an outer surface and a core aperture disposed near a first end of the housing, the core configured to impart a radial flow component to blood passing from the blood inlet to an exterior of the heat exchanger core, wherein the outer surface of the heat exchanger core includes one or more radially disposed core ribs configured to impart a radial component to blood flow across the heat exchanger hollow fibers and one or more longitudinally disposed core ribs to promote longitudinal blood flow down the outer surface of the heat exchanger core; heat exchanger hollow fibers disposed about the heat exchanger core such that a heat exchanger fluid may flow through the heat exchanger hollow fibers and blood from the core aperture may flow across the heat exchanger hollow fibers; a cylindrical shell extending coaxially about the heat exchanger core, the cylindrical shell including an annular shell aperture disposed near a second end of the housing such that all blood passing through the core aperture exits through the shell aperture, thereby imparting a longitudinal blood flow component to blood passing to an exterior of the cylindrical shell; and gas exchanger hollow fibers disposed about the cylindrical shell such that gases may flow through the gas exchange hollow fibers and blood passing from the annular shell aperture may flow across the gas exchanger hollow fibers.