# Enhancement of an Artificial Lung for Ambulatory Respiratory Support

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE · 2021 · $745,655

## Abstract

Acute and chronic end-stage lung diseases (ESLD) are increasing healthcare problems. Currently, when
mechanical ventilation fails only extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) with components designed
and qualified for a few hours is available. Current ECMO systems are often associated with serious
complications and generally are restricted to bedside use. A wearable, biocompatible integrated pump-lung
would offer significant advantages to patients over existing options. Such a device would pose a prolonged
ambulatory platform for natural lung healing from acute injury, a bridge to transplant or destination therapy, or
for novel lung regenerative therapies. With support from the NHLBI, we have made remarkable progress in
development of a wearable artificial pump-lung system (APLS) for ambulatory respiratory support. The goal of
this renewal application is to develop a new class of gas exchange device with adaptive physiologic control for
a wearable artificial lung system.
We propose to develop unique strategies to reduce the sizes of gas exchanger devices and associated drive
consoles and to provide adaptive respiratory support to ambulating ECMO patients. Three specific aims of the
proposal are: (1) to develop a small-sized and multifunctional membrane respiratory assist device (MRAD) for
ECMO therapy in the ambulatory setting. The novel MRAD will include a dual chamber gas exchanger (DCGE)
for blood and gas flows with an integrated centrifugal pump; (2) to develop a lightweight console for the MRAD
with auto-adaptive control based on the gas exchange demand of an ambulating patient. The portable console
will be less than 20 lbs and can be placed into a backpack; and (3) to conduct in-vitro regulatory qualification
tests and chronic (30-day) in-vivo animal experiments to assess the long-term function, biocompatibility, and
durability of the MRAD and its biologic effect on the animal.
The efficiency of the new gas exchange device will reduce its size and its console by near 30%. The reduced
console size and weight will reduce its burden to the user and will permit its configuration into a backpack
design as well as a small roller case. Completion of aims will redefine the technology appropriate for
broadened use of ambulatory ECMO and for its out-of-hospital use.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10174997
- **Project number:** 5R01HL118372-07
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE
- **Principal Investigator:** Bartley P GriffIth
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $745,655
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2013-07-05 → 2024-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10174997

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10174997, Enhancement of an Artificial Lung for Ambulatory Respiratory Support (5R01HL118372-07). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10174997. Licensed CC0.

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