Patent ID: 11938253
Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
Field: Chemical engineering (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC A  B | IPC A  B

Claim 0:
1. A method of exchanging gas with blood from a circulatory system of a subject comprising a first dissolved gaseous compound, the method comprising:
A) providing a blood oxygenating device comprising:
a) gas exchange composite membrane comprising:
i) a non-porous, gas-permeable, polymeric membrane defining a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; and
ii) a non-compliant, microporous membrane defining a third surface and a fourth surface opposite the third surface,
wherein the non-compliant, microporous membrane comprises one or more gas diffusion windows, each comprising a network of struts defining walls of a plurality of micropores, each micropore extending from the third surface to the fourth surface,
wherein the third surface is attached to the second surface;

b) a non-circuitous blood channel located adjacent to the first surface of the non-porous, gas-permeable, polymeric membrane,
wherein the blood channel defines a first end and a second end opposite the first end,
wherein the blood channel is a part of an extracorporeal blood circuit;

c) a gas channel located adjacent to the fourth surface of the non-compliant, microporous membrane, wherein the gas channel is configured to pass a flow of gas,
wherein the first surface provides an antithrombotic surface for gas exchange over the one or more gas diffusion windows between blood flowing along the first surface and a gas at the second surface;

B) pumping the blood from the circulatory system of the subject through the non-circuitous blood channel to generate a circulating flow of the blood; and
C) flowing a gas comprising a second gaseous compound through the gas channel,
thereby exchanging gaseous compounds between the circulating flow of the blood and the gas.