Hemolysis in a Novel Centrifugal Blood Pump With Low Priming Volume: In Vitro Comparative Study Using Human Blood and Numerical Analysis

Extracorporeal circulation (ECC) procedures, including extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), provide essential support for critically ill patients, but complications such as hemolysis and thromboembolic events remain significant concerns. This study evaluates the hemocompatibility of the CBM LifeMotion centrifugal ECMO pump, designed with a low priming volume and shrouded impeller, comparing its performance to three commercially available pumps (Maquet, Sorin, and Novalung). Human blood was used in a simulated ECC model, following American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) testing protocols, to evaluate hemolysis and white blood cell damage. The CBM pump demonstrated hemolysis levels similar to the Maquet and Sorin pumps, all of which exhibited low hemolysis compared to the Novalung pump, which showed the highest hemolysis. A numerical analysis further assessed the CBM pump's performance under low-flow conditions, revealing reduced fluid shear stress due to the lower rotor speed, whereas the blood's exposure time to this shear stress increased. Despite these differences, the overall hemolytic potential under low-flow conditions was comparable to ASTM conditions. These results suggest that the CBM LifeMotion pump, with its reduced priming volume and favorable hemocompatibility, shows promise for ECMO applications. Further clinical research is required to validate these findings in real-world settings.