The purpose of this work is to design, fabricate, evaluate and manufacture an innovative pumping system for extracorporeal circulation comprised of innovative tubing and a roller pump. The innovative tubing incorporates means to measure inlet and outlet pressure noninvasively, possesses extended pumping life, is inherently self-regulating and requires a pump with a fraction of the power needed for present pump tubing. The tubing can be used with standard roller pumps to eliminate their inherent dangers of excessive suction, air embolism, thrombosis, damage to the vessel's intima and/or pumping air to the patient when a decrease in blood supply to the pump occurs without a concomitant decrease in pup speed. The tubing can also be used to eliminate the extreme outlet pressures, that can """"""""blow"""""""" parts of the circuit, due to accidental obstruction of the pump outlet. A low power, compact, computerized pump that utilizes the characteristics of the tubing to safety control pump flow and prevent excess inlet and/or outlet pump pressures would also be designed. The technology developed for roller pumps used for extracorporeal circulation can also be applied to IV infusion and industrial applications. The tubing could provide the advantages of centrifugal pumps at a fraction of the cost (about $20/ea vs. $150/ea).
