Improved gas transport of polyurethane-based membranes for blood oxygenation

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) is essential in critical care for themanagement of severe respiratory and cardiac failure. Considered the most importantpart of the ECMO circuit, the membrane blood oxygenator (BO) is responsible formaintaining O2 and CO2 levels in the blood.

Current BOs require large membranesurface areas, but these have poor hemocompatibility, which leads to activation of thecoagulation system. Despite the considerable progress during the last decades incomponent technology and at the circuit level, a BO capable of performing efficientlyin prolonged ECMO does not exist.

To improve the O2 permeability our research hasbeen focused on the development of new blend polyurethane-based (PUR)membranes, using polyether and polyester-based segmented PURs, which exhibitenhanced hemocompatibility, in association with a good flex-life and mechanicalstrength..