Development of a double-lumen femoral catheter for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation systems

Patients suffering from acute, severe heart or lung failure can often benefit from a treatment called ExtraCorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO). This therapy uses an external, artificial lung to oxygenate the patient’s blood. It currently requires two large tubes connected to two of the patient’s veins or arteries to extract the patient’s blood and reinject it once it is cleaned and oxygenated. The goal of this project is to design a special tube allowing simultaneous blood extraction and injection in single vein. This system would greatly accelerate ECMO installation and initiation, could lower the risk of infection and, more generally, would facilitate bedside patient care by decreasing the amount of tubing and freeing the patient’s neck (where one of the current tubes is typically installed).

Faculty Supervisor:

Michaël Mayette;François Lamontagne;Charles St-Arnaud

Student:

Cédric Dessureault

Partner:

Abaxial Médical Inc

Discipline:

Engineering - mechanical

Sector:

Life sciences

University:

Université de Sherbrooke