Clinical evaluation of the Bentley Univox membrane oxygenator

Abstract

This paper reports a clinical evaluation of Bentley's new Univox membrane oxygenator (Bentley Laboratories, Irvine, California). In this new device, the blood flow path is outside the fibre, the incorporated heat exchanger consists of a 22-channel stainless-steel bellows, and the polypropylene fibres are woven into fibre ribbons and wound into each of the bellows channels. In this way, heat and gas transfers take place simultaneously. The priming volume has been reduced to 220ml and the membrane has an effective surface area of 1.6m2. A BMR 1900 collapsible reservoir (Bentley Laboratories, Irvine, California) was used as a venous reservoir. Ten consenting patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass surgery were perfused with this new oxygenator. BSA was between 1.7 and 2.11 m²; mean BSA was 1.81. Minimum priming was 1200ml. The blood-gas results were all within or close to the normal range used in our institution. Acid-base management was performed using alpha-stat regulation and no problems occurred in this series of patients. Average pO₂ was 155mmHg±53 with a mean O₂ transfer of 90.7ml and a maximum of 185ml. The heat exchange performance was very good, with a mean coefficient of heat exchange of 0.54±0.11 and a maximum of 0.87.

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