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EP-4735071-A1 - AN EXTRACORPOREAL MEMBRANE OXYGENATION SYSTEM

EP4735071A1EP 4735071 A1EP4735071 A1EP 4735071A1EP-4735071-A1

Abstract

An extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, ECMO, system (10) is provided, comprising a circulation unit (110) configured to cause blood to circulate through an extracorporeal circuit, an oxygenator (120) configured to oxygenate the blood circulating in the extracorporeal circuit, and a gas blender (130) configured to provide a gas flow, comprising oxygen, to the oxygenator. The system further comprises a control unit (140) configured to control the operation of the circulation unit and the gas blender, and an attachment structure (150) configured to releasably attach a housing (131) of the gas blender to a housing (111) of the circulation unit.

Inventors

  • SCHRÖDER, Sebastian
  • OPDAM, Sjoerd

Assignees

  • MAQUET Cardiopulmonary GmbH

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240626

Claims (15)

  1. 1. An extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, ECMO, system (10), comprising: a circulation unit (110) configured to cause blood to circulate through an extracorporeal circuit; an oxygenator (120) configured to oxygenate the blood circulating in the extracorporeal circuit; a gas blender (130) configured to provide a gas flow, comprising oxygen, to the oxygenator; a control unit (140) configured to control the operation of the circulation unit and the gas blender; and an attachment structure (150) configured to releasably attach a housing (131) of the gas blender to a housing (111) of the circulation unit.
  2. 2. The ECMO system according to claim 1, wherein the attachment structure comprises interlocking structures formed of a first mating structure (151) of the housing of the circulation unit and a complimentary, second mating structure (152) of the housing of the gas blender.
  3. 3. The ECMO system according to claim 2, wherein the first mating structure includes a first guiding edge (151 ’) and the second mating structure includes a second guiding edge (152’), wherein the first guiding edge is configured to engage the second guiding edge to fixate the gas blender to the circulation unit.
  4. 4. The ECMO system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the first mating structure includes a substantially planar surface portion of the housing of the circulation unit and the second mating structure includes a substantially planar surface portion of the housing of the gas blender.
  5. 5. The ECMO system according to claim 4, wherein the respective surface portions are configured to be oriented substantially parallel and spaced apart when the gas blender is attached to the circulation unit.
  6. 6. The ECMO system according to any of claims 2 to 5, wherein the attachment structure further comprises a locking mechanism (154, 154’) configured to cooperate with the first and second mating structures to restrict relative motion between the first and second mating structures when the gas blender is attached to the circulation unit.
  7. 7. The ECMO system according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a cable connector for data communication and/or transfer of electrical power between the circulation unit and the gas blender.
  8. 8. The ECMO system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the system further comprises a user interface (170) arranged on the housing of the circulation unit, wherein the user interface is communicatively connected to the control unit and configured to convey operational information relating to the circulation unit and the gas blender.
  9. 9. The ECMO system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the gas blender comprises an electrically controlled valve arrangement (132) for controlling the gas flow provided to the oxygenator.
  10. 10. The ECMO system according to claim 9, wherein the valve arrangement is configured to bypass oxygen gas upon an operational failure of the gas blender.
  11. 11. The ECMO system according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one of a first sensor (181) configured to generate a signal indicating an amount of oxygen supplied to the oxygenator; or a second sensor (182) configured to generate a signal indicating an amount of oxygen outputted from the oxygenator.
  12. 12. The ECMO system according to claim 11, wherein the control unit is configured to adjust the operation of the gas blender based on the signals received from the first sensor and the second sensor.
  13. 13. The ECMO system according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor form part of the gas blender.
  14. 14. The ECMO system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the gas blender further comprises a relief mechanism (190) configured to limit excessive pressure within the gas blender.
  15. 15. The ECMO system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the circulation unit is portable.

Description

AN EXTRACORPOREAL MEMBRANE OXYGENATION SYSTEM Technical Field The present invention relates to cardiovascular support, and more specifically to systems for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, ECMO, also referred to as heartlung machines and cardiopulmonary bypass machines. Background Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, ECMO, is a medical procedure used in cases of severe respiratory or cardiac failure. It involves temporarily bypassing or supporting a patient’s heart and lungs to oxygenate and remove carbon dioxide from the blood. Traditional ECMO systems typically utilise a wide variety of components and peripheral modules that are dependent on the patient’s need, the operator’s preferences for operational setup, and the use of various sensors and diagnostic equipment. Due to the extensive use of cables, fluid lines, mast-mounted pumps and other related devices, such as pump displays, that commonly are involved with such procedures, the cables and fluid lines become heavily intertwined and difficult to manage. Further, the variety of components and modules requires the operators to monitor and handle several user interfaces. This may lead to specific issues of operational inconvenience and time inefficiency for the operator, as well as limited mobility for the patient. Therefore, there is a need for medical equipment, such as ECMO systems, having improved features that permit the operator to simplify the set-up and handling of the equipment. Summary In view of the above, it is thus an object of the present invention to overcome or at least mitigate the problems discussed above. In particular, it is an object to provide an improved ECMO system having the features set out in the independent claim. Hence, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an ECMO system comprising a circulation unit configured to cause blood to circulate through an extracorporeal circuit, an oxygenator configured to oxygenate the blood circulating the extracorporeal circuit, a gas blender configured to provide a gas flow, comprising oxygen, to the oxygenator, and a control unit configured to control the operation of the circulation unit and the gas blender. Further, an attachment structure is provided, configured to releasably attach a housing of the gas blender to a housing of the circulation unit. The inventors have realised that by attaching the gas blender to the circulation unit, the physical connections between the circulation unit and the gas blender, such as fluid lines and cables for power supply and communication, may be simplified. While a free-standing gas blender, arranged spaced apart from the circulation unit, may require relatively extensive tubing and cabling that may become intertwined and difficult to handle, a circulation unit-mounted configuration of the system allows for a shorter physical distance to be bridged by the circulating fluids, electrical power, and data communication signals between the gas blender and the circulation unit. Further, attaching the gas blender to the circulation unit allows for a reduced number of separate components that need to be handled in case of transportation of the patient, as the gas blender and the circulation unit can be treated as a single component. Preferably, the oxygenator is attached to the circulation unit, or arranged in close vicinity of the circulation unit, to further reduce the length of the fluid lines carrying the gas flow between the gas blender and the oxygenator and simplify transportation and handling of the system. According to some embodiments, the attachment structure is formed of a first mating structure of the housing of the circulation unit and a complimentary, second mating structure of the housing of the gas blender. The gas blender may hence be attached to the circulation unit by means of interlocking structures, in which complementary shapes or features of the gas blender and the circulation unit, respectively, fit together to form a secure attachment. Beneficially, the attachment structure may assist in ensuring that the gas blender remains safely attached to the circulation unit during mechanically challenging situations, such as inter-hospital patient transfer by helicopter or other transporting means. Helicopter transports are typically associated with exposure to relatively harsh conditions, such as vibrations and rain. Advantageously, the present embodiments may provide a combined setup of circulation unit and gas blender with rain protected housings and an attachment structure able to withstand the transport-induced vibrations. Several configurations of the attachment structure are possible. In an example, each of the first mating structure and the second mating structure includes a respective guiding edge or flange, wherein the guiding edge of the first mating structure is configured to engage the guiding edge of the second mating structure to fixate the gas blender to the circulation unit. In further examples,