Fully portable semi-automatic mechanical heart-lung substitution system and method

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Reference is first made to FIG.
1, which schematically illustrates a perspective view of one presently preferred embodiment of the invention.
As illustrated in FIG.
1, the heart-lung substitution system generally designated at 10 is mounted within a portable carrying case which comprises a bottom part 12 and a top cover 14.
The cover 14 is adapted to be securely connected to the bottom part 12 of the carrying case by means of the latch 16 which snaps over a corresponding hook 18.
The bottom part 12 of the carrying case also is provided with a small ridge 22 which runs around the top periphery of the bottom part 12 of the carrying case so that the cover 14 will fit securely onto the bottom part 12.
The top cover 14 is also provided with a handle 20 so that the entire system can be hand-carried.
As shown in FIG.
2, the bottom 12 may also be provided with folding legs 21 which may be folded up to fit into channels 23 and 25 formed on the underside of bottom part 12.
Thus, the carrying case can be either supported by placing it upon the ground or a table, or by elevating it if need be by unfolding the legs 21.
This helps to increase the versatility of the mechanical heart-lung system 10.
With reference again to FIG.
1, the bottom part 12 of the carrying case is also provided with a platform 24 securely mounted inside the bottom part 12 of the carrying case.
Mounted on the platform 24 is a right heart pump 26 which is comprised of a conventional roller pump having rollers 28 which pump the blood through tubing 34 as hereinafter more fully described.
Tubing 34 runs through the end of the lower part 12 of carrying case and is secured by a fitting 33.
Tubing 34 is also joined by another fitting 32 to another length of tubing 30 which, as hereinafter more fully described in connection with FIG.
4, is attached to a venous cannula for insertion into the vena caval system of the patient.
Thus, as roller pump 26 is operated, blood is pumped by means of the venous cannula out of the vena caval system of the patient