BIOLOGIC - DC SYSTEM FOR REMOVING CO2 FROM BLOOD

THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP AN EXTRACORPOREAL DEVICE TO REVOVE LARGE AMOUNTS OF CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2) FROM A RELATIVELY SMALL FLOW RATE OF BLOOD. THIS DECARBOXYLATOR DEVICE COULD HELP SUPPORT PATIENTS WHEN RESPIRATOR FAIL TO REMOVE SUFFICIENT CO2 OR BE USED IN PLACEOF RESPIRATORS IN PATIENTS WITH MODERATE CO2 RETENTION. THE DECARBOXYLATOR SYSTEM WILL BE CREATED BY DEVELOPING A NEW DISPOSABLE PACKAGE FOR THE BIOLOGIC DIALYSIS MACHINE THIS MACHINE IS DESIGNED TO PERFORM DIALYSIS THRU A SINGLE BLOOD ACCESS (SUBCLAVIAN CATHETER OR NEEDLE), USING A PLATEDIALYZER BOTH FOR CHEMICAL CLEARANCE AND FOR PUMPING BLOOD A DISPOABLE PACKAGE (DC PACK) WITH SUSPENSION OF CALCIUM HYDROXYL THAT WILL MOVE THROUGH A SCREEN PLATE DIALYZER IN A TO-AND-FRO MANNER TO MAINTAIN FLUIDITY WILL BE DESIGNED. WITHIN THE DIALYZER, THE CALCIUM HYDROXIDE WILL EXCHANGE ITS HYDROXYL FOR BICARBONATE, REMOVING ALMOST ALL OF THE BLOOD BICARBONATE WITHOUT EXCESSIVE CALCIUM OR HYDROXYL RETURN TO THE BLOOD. IN VITRO TESTS DURING PHASE I WILL DETERMINE THE CO2 REMOVAL RATE, CALCIUM RETURN, AND PH CHANGES CAUSED BY THE BIOLOGIC-DC SYSTEM. THESE STUDIES WILL INDICATE WHETHER THE SYSTEM HAS POTENTIAL FOR ASSISTINGPATIENTS IN RESPIRATORY FAILURE.