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ECMO

In the operation of ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) devices, the normal delivery of blood through the tubing is a crucial prerequisite. If an abnormal situation occurs, it could lead to catastrophic consequences. Therefore, the accurate monitoring of blood flow rate variations in the ECMO tubing is a key issue for ECMO device designers.

The XY-TEK CG series ultrasonic flow sensors/flow meters provide ECMO manufacturers with a non-invasive solution to verifying the performance of blood pumps of the ECMO.

The non-invasive design makes CG series particularly suitable for medical devices with high accuracy flow measurement demand, such as ECMO, dialysis machines, cardiopulmonary bypass machines, heart-lung machines, etc.

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Industry Challenges

Pump Failure

This refers to the inability of the drive control console or pump head to drive the centrifugal pump to generate forward blood flow. At this point, ECMO/extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support would be interrupted.

01
Flow Rate Too Low

During the operation of the ECMO/extracorporeal membrane oxygenation system, the blood flow rate must be above a certain threshold; otherwise, it can easily result in low perfusion pressure, target organ hypoperfusion, hypoxia, hypercapnia, and the worsening of shock.

02
Blood Backflow

When the blood flow rate in the ECMO system is less than 2 liters per minute, the risk of backflow dramatically increases.

03

Application Overview

CG series clamp-on ultrasonic flow sensors monitor the blood flow rates in the tubing of the heart-lung machine/ECMO system in real-time to ensure the safe operation of cardiopulmonary bypass. The main functions of the ultrasonic flow sensors are as follows.

Compare the flow output of the blood pump to ensure accurate and reliable alarm settings for flow obstruction, and detect operations that may lead to flow restriction.

By measuring the upstream and downstream flow rates of the arteriovenous shunt, the doctor can adjust the pump speed to maintain the desired perfusion level.

When clots appear in the arteriovenous shunt or oxygenator, the flow sensor can provide an early warning before the oxygenator becomes clogged. This helps prevent the total output of the pump flows directly to the patient, causing over-perfusion.

When a blood transfer line ruptures, it can lead to a catastrophic accident with a large amount of air entering the body. CG series ultrasonic flow sensor also has a bubble detection function to provide additional early warning.

Application Highlights

Non-Invasive

Clamp-on design to avoid shear stress on blood cells.
Multi-Fluid Type

The sensor is based on the ultrasonic TOFD principle, suitable for fluids such as blood and water.
Output Mode

Features RS485 standard output mode for easy integration into the ECMO system.
Various Tubing Sizes

Outer diameter ranging from 1/4 inch to 3/4 inch (6.4 mm - 19.1 mm), support tubing customization.
Compact Design

All circuits and components are integrated within the sensor, with no external processing system.