Patent ID: 7399717

Claim:
A process for generating dissolved oxygen in whole blood from a patient comprising: a) providing blood from a patient to a photolytic device wherein the photolytic device comprises: an inlet for receiving blood from a patient and transporting the blood to a photolytic cell; a photolytic cell having a light transparent substrate and a photo-reactive surface, said photo-reactive surface comprising a layer of a light activated, photolytic catalyst and an electrically conductive layer, wherein said photo-reactive surface has the ability to convert water in the blood to dissolved oxygen upon light activation; a light source for providing light photons to said light transparent substrate of the photolytic cell and activating said photolytic catalyst to initiate a series of chemical reactions that result in dissolved oxygen generation by the photo-reactive surface of the photolytic cell; an outlet for transporting oxygenated blood out of said photolytic cell; and, b) returning the oxygenated blood to the patient.