MEMBRANE AUTOTRANSFUSION SYSTEM

INTRAOPERATIVE AUTOTRANSFUSION SYSTEM (IOAT) ASPIRATES WASTE BLOOD FROM SURGICAL WOUND SITE, PURIFIES AND RETURNS IT TO THE SAME PATIENT. WE DEVELOPED AND EVALUATED IN-VITRO AND IN-VIVO A NEW IOAT SYSTEM WHICH IS DESIGNED TO PURIFY THE ASPIRATED WASTE BLOOD USING HOLLOW FIBER MEMBRANE FILTERS INSTEAD OF USING CENTRIFUGES, AND RETURN THE PURIFIED BLOOD CELLS TO THE PATIENT IN A CLOSED LOOP CONTINUOUS ON LINE OPERATION WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT WASTAGE OF BLOOD CELLS. PRELIMINARY IN-VIVO EVALUATIONS OF OUR IOAT SYSTEM HAVE LEAD US TO REDEFINE THE DESIGN PARAMETERS. WE REBUILT OUR SYSTEM SO THAT IT COULD RESPOND TO THE RAPIDLY CHANGING OPERATING CONDITIONS, SUCH AS BLOOD FLOW RATE, HEMATOCRIT, AIR EMBOLI & FROTH, MACROAGGREGATES, IRRIGATING FLUID, SHEAR RATE, TRANSMEMBRANE PRESSURE, DURATION OF OPERATION, AND SYSTEMIC HEPARINIZATION. PHASE-I INVOLVES EXTENSIVE IN-VITRO STUDIES USING CALF AND HUMAN BLOOD WITH AN OBJECTIVE TO ESTABLISH THE CONSISTENCY OF PERFORMANCE OF OUR SYSTEM IN RESPONSE TO THE RAPID CHANGES IN OPERATING CONDITIONS. PHASE II INVOLVES EVALUATIONS IN CALVES, WHERE BLEEDING WILL BE SIMULATED IN OPEN CHEST CAVITY, AND THE SHED BLOOD WILL BE SALVAGED BY OUR IOAT SYSTEM. TOTAL AVAILABLE MARKET IS EXPECTED TO BE OVER $120,000,000 IN THE U. S..