Patent ID: 7247470

Claim:
A nitric oxide (NO) measuring apparatus comprising: a first gas equilibrator having an inlet and an outlet, the first gas equilibrator configured to maintain a first concentration of a first gas within a first fluid, when the first fluid flows through the first gas equilibrator and exits the first gas equilibrator as a first effluent; a second gas equilibrator having an inlet and an outlet, the second gas equilibrator configured to maintain a second concentration of a second gas within a second fluid, when the second fluid flows through the second gas equilibrator and exits the second gas equilibrator as a second effluent; a tubular member configured to accommodate passage of a fluid therethrough, the tubular member having an inner surface suitable for having living cells adhered thereto, said tubular member having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet of the tubular member is in fluid communication with the outlet of the first gas equilibrator, when the apparatus is in a first configuration; a first NO sensor in fluid communication with the first gas equilibrator via the tubular member, the first NO sensor configured to measure an NO concentration of the first effluent from the first gas equilibrator after the first effluent has flowed through the tubular member, when the apparatus is in said first configuration; a first oxygen (O 2 ) sensor in fluid communication with the second gas equilibrator, the first oxygen sensor configured to measure an O 2 concentration of the second effluent from the second gas equilibrator without the second effluent having flowed through the tubular member, when the apparatus is in said first configuration; and one or more valves directing the first effluent to the inlet of the tubular member and thus to the first NO sensor, and directing the second effluent to the first O 2 sensor, when the apparatus is in said first configuration.