58: A Membrane made of an organic material with pore – forming, anti- inflammatory and anticoagulant properties design for a new oxygenator in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)”.

Introduction: ECMO is being widely utilized for the care of patients with respiratory and/or cardiac failure however mortality on ECMO is still much higher than expected. Methods: A group of experts in ECMO, respiratory medicine and biomedical engineering have started to develop innovative projects of a new membrane made of an organic material with pore – forming, anti inflammatory and anticoagulant properties, based on Ab Initio techniques. Results: An organic material with pore-forming, anti-inflammatory, and anticoagulant properties, semipermeable to gases is dedicated especially for blood oxygenator membranes construction. The material is introduced to active admixture of albumin, heparin, argatroban, bivalirudin or fondaparinux which are embedded in the microstructure of the base material. The membrane contains 40 to 60 % of open pores, whereas the remaining pores are filled with the active admixture. With use the active admixture is gradually released to the blood but decreases over time, whereas the number of open pores increases, resulting in a larger gas exchange surface area and improved blood oxygenation, which differentiates it’s function from currently used materials. A membrane creates either a flat foil 0,2 to 200μm thick, or a hollow fiber tube with outer diameter of 30 – 600 μm. The material is protected by Polish Patent Office. International patent application was submitted to the World Intellectual Property Organization Conclusion: Based on already obtained patents, these innovations have a potential to open a new era in ECMO therapy, however further confirmation from clinical trials is needed.