
Abstract
Preterm infants, especially extremely preterm infants under 28 weeks of gestation, face high mortality rates due to respiratory distress resulting from pulmonary immaturity. Conventional mechanical ventilation and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy inevitably cause irreversible lung injury or severe complications, respectively. Here, we developed a microfluidic oxygenator (MO) mimicking the human alveolar-capillary barrier to provide respiratory support for preterm infants. These structures promoted uniform flow distribution, reduced high-shear stress and flow stagnation, and improved gas exchange efficiency. In vitro experiments demonstrated that a single-layer MO raised blood oxygen saturation from 64.7% to 96.5% at 8 mL/min, with a corrected vol% oxygen transfer of 5.24% (52.4 mL O2/L blood). Hemolysis and coagulation measurements after a 6 h circulation confirmed good hemocompatibility, with most blood damage attributable to the pump. An eight-layer stacked MO was configured with a total priming volume of approximately 5.6 mL and a pressure drop of 25–35 mmHg at 24–40 mL/min, indicating its potential in pumpless extracorporeal circulation for preterm neonates. This MO holds promise for providing minimally invasive and customizable respiratory support in an artificial uterus system.
We use cookies to provide you with the best possible user experience. By continuing to use our site, you agree to their use. Learn more