gas exchange in the artificial lung

iLA Membrane Ventilator

A special hollow-fiber membrane assumes the function of pulmonary alveoli.

Effective and reliable: the iLA Membrane Ventilator® (Source: Novalung Support Registry 2008)

The iLA Membrane Ventilator® is the first artificial lung that breathes for the patient outside the body. It removes carbon dioxide outside of the lung, and is perfused by the heart like a natural organ. This relieves the patient’s lung by providing gas exchange support and reducing the workload for the breathing pump. The lung is given “Time to Heal“®.
The iLA Membrane Ventilator® is sometimes referred to in scientific articles as “pecla“ (pumpless extracorporeal lung assist) or ”AVCO2R“ (arterio-venous CO2 removal).

Gas exchange via artificial alveoles

A hollow-fiber membrane is responsible for gas exchange in the artificial lung, which measures only 14 by 14 cm, supporting or even replacing mechanical ventilation. The iLA Membrane Ventilator® is connected to the patient via two NovaPort® femoral cannulas in an arterio-venous circuit. The absence of a mechanical blood pump reduces the risk of inflammatory reactions.

How it works: effective and reliable

The iLA Membrane Ventilator® incorporates a heparin-coated hollow-fiber diffusion membrane and removes carbon dioxide effectively and reliably in a very short period of time to achieve the desired target, using low blood flows of approx. 1 L/min. This extrapulmonary ventilation can be controlled via the sweep gas flow. In cases of respiratory acidosis the pH is generally returned to normal physiological levels within a few hours. This can help protect the kidney and other organs and prevent multi-organ failure.

Easy to use and easy to care for

Positioning therapy and initial mobilization are possible with the iLA Membrane Ventilator thanks to the 360° rotating curve connectors. It is also been used for both inter-hospital and intra-hospital transport. The iLA Membrane Ventilator® was developed for temporary use in intensive-care patients and is approved in Europe for up to 29 days.

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