BioLung Shane Ramos According to the United Network

Bio-Lung Shane Ramos

According to the United Network of Organ Sharing Shane Ramos • In 2011, 1, 770 lung transplants were performed nationwide. • There are currently over 1, 700 people awaiting a lung transplant.

Previous Systems to supplement a Lung Transplant The ECMO Machine -extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

ECMO • Takes over the functions of both lungs and heart • Pumps (mechanically) blood and exchanging carbon dioxide for oxygen outside the body. • Short-term fix-briefly until lungs have healed enough to begin breathing normally • Not for patients who are looking for a long-term supplement. BIO-LUNG • Blood never leaves the body • No use of mechanical pump • Size of a soda can • Implanted into the chest • Patient’s own heart pumps into the device • Consists of hollow plastic fibers perforated with holes for gas molecules to pass through.

Bio-Lung • As blood filters through the fibers, carbon dioxide escapes through the holes and is replaced by oxygen from the surrounding air. • Then the blood may go directly back to the heart to be pumped to the rest of the body, or it may take a spin through the patient's lungs first. Reasoning • Lung will naturally have the ability to filter out clots with out supplements • Fresh supply of oxygen to lung tissue • Possible for natural lungs and artificial lungs to share in breathing.

The Bio-Lung is not meant to be a lifelong replacement for diseased lungs. At best, researchers hope to buy time for those awaiting a transplant and let them live relatively normal lives while they wait, rather than be tethered to a heavy life-support unit. ECMO

Robert Bartlett, MD, surgeon at the University of Michigan Medical Center, leads the research on the Bio-Lung After nearly a decade at the drawing board, "We are looking at what we consider final design changes, " Merz says. Clinical trials may get under way in one to two years. The National Institutes of Health recently granted Bartlett $4. 8 million to continue the research. -PENDING FDA APPROVAL

Works Cited URI BME 281 BME Seminar II <www. ele. uri. edu/courses/bme 281>. Wikipedia: Biomedical Engineering <en. wikipedia. org/wiki/ Biomedical_engineering>. <University of Marlyand Medical Center http: //umm. edu/programs/transplant/services/lung? gclid=COyuy. Jr 357 o. CFRQa. Ogod. TU 0 AGw <Web. MD> http: //www. webmd. com/lung/features/artificial-lungcloser-to-clinical-trial? page=2