Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha

Kazuhiro Mizoguchi

Eiji Kato

Mitsuaki Ogihara

Hidetaka Nakayama

A hollow-fiber-type blood processing device and methods for its manufacture include a hollow fiber membrane bundle which is obtained by bundling a large number of hollow fiber membranes into a columnar shape. A sheet body is mounted on an outer peripheral portion of the hollow fiber membrane bundle. The sheet body is expandable as a result of being woven from a sheet material. An inner diameter of the sheet body in a natural state where no external force is applied to the sheet body is smaller than the outer diameter of the hollow fiber membrane bundle.

Hollow-fiber-type blood processing device and method

A filter member used in an oxygenator is constructed to provide improved contact with a hollow fiber membrane bundle and to capture bubbles contained in blood. The filter member possesses elasticity at least in the circumferential direction to allow the inner circumference of the filter member to be increased from a natural non-expanded state prior to placement on the hollow fiber membrane bundle to an expanded state in which the inner circumference of the filter member is increased when placed on the hollow fiber membrane bundle. The filter member is constructed to satisfy the condition 0.5&#x2266;LL&#x3c;1, wherein Lrepresents the outer circumference of the hollow fiber membrane bundle and Lrepresents the inner circumference of the filter member in the natural non-expanded state.

Filter member and oxygenator using same

A filter member used in an oxygenator is constructed to provide improved contact with a hollow fiber membrane bundle and to capture bubbles contained in blood. The filter member possesses elasticity at least in the circumferential direction to allow the inner circumference of the filter member to be increased from a natural non-expanded state prior to placement on the hollow fiber membrane bundle to an expanded state in which the inner circumference of the filter member is increased when placed on the hollow fiber membrane bundle. The filter member is constructed to satisfy the condition 0.5&#x2266;L/L&#x3c;1, wherein Lrepresents the outer circumference of the hollow fiber membrane bundle and Lrepresents the inner circumference of the filter member in the natural non-expanded state.

A filter member used in an oxygenator is constructed to provide improved contact with a hollow fiber membrane bundle and to capture bubbles contained in blood. The filter member possesses elasticity at least in the circumferential direction to allow the inner circumference of the filter member to be increased from a natural non-expanded state prior to placement on the hollow fiber membrane bundle to an expanded state in which the inner circumference of the filter member is increased when placed on the hollow fiber membrane bundle. The filter member is constructed to satisfy the condition 0.5&#x2266;L/L, wherein Lrepresents the outer circumference of the hollow fiber membrane bundle and Lrepresents the inner circumference of the filter member in the natural non-expanded state.

An oxygenator which helps avoid bubbles in the blood from being discharged through the blood outlet port of the oxygenator includes a housing, a hollow fiber membrane bundle in the housing and formed by a multiplicity of hollow fiber membranes serving for gas exchange, gas-inlet and gas-outlet ports communicating with gas passages of the hollow fiber membranes, and a blood-inlet and blood-outlet ports. A filter member is provided on a side closer to the blood outlet port of the hollow fiber membrane bundle and serves to catch bubbles in blood. The blood outlet port projects from the housing and a passage enlargement is provided in a vicinity of the end of the blood outlet port closer to the housing and having an increased passage cross-sectional area. The blood passed the filter member is allowed to reach the blood outlet port by being decelerated in the passage enlargement.

Growing community of inventors

Fujinomiya, Japan

Kazuhiro Mizoguchi