Cardiac oxygenators are one of the most critical components of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuits used in open-heart surgery. They temporarily take over the function of the lungs — exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide in the patient's blood while the heart is stopped for surgery. Selecting the right oxygenator can significantly impact patient outcomes, particularly in high-risk cases such as neonatal cardiac surgery, prolonged bypass procedures and redo operations.
In this comprehensive guide, we cover everything from the basic science of membrane oxygenation to a detailed comparison of leading product lines from Sorin LivNova and Eurosets — both of which India's Backbone Pharma distributes as an authorised partner across India and 50+ export markets.
India's Backbone Pharma is an authorised distributor of Sorin LivNova and Eurosets oxygenators in India and export markets. Contact us for pricing, clinical specifications and regulatory documentation.
What is a Cardiac Oxygenator?
A cardiac oxygenator (also called a membrane oxygenator or artificial lung) is a medical device used during cardiopulmonary bypass procedures to perform gas exchange in the patient's blood outside the body. It adds oxygen and removes carbon dioxide, mimicking the function of the lungs while surgeons operate on a motionless, bloodless heart.
Modern oxygenators use hollow-fibre membrane technology — thousands of microporous fibres arranged in a bundle through which blood flows on the outside while oxygen sweeps gas flows inside (or vice versa, in diffusion-type membranes). This design maximises surface area for gas exchange while minimising blood-foreign surface contact and haemolysis.
Types of Cardiac Oxygenators
1. Hollow-Fibre Membrane Oxygenators
The gold standard for modern cardiac surgery. Hollow-fibre membranes provide superior gas transfer efficiency, low resistance, reduced blood-foreign material contact and excellent haemocompatibility. Available in microporous polypropylene and solid polymethylpentene (PMP) variants.
- Microporous PP membranes: Lower cost, widely used in standard adult CPB. Gas transfer occurs through the pores. Plasma leakage can occur in very long bypass runs.
- PMP diffusion membranes: True membrane with no direct blood-gas contact. Ideal for long procedures, ECMO and neonatal/paediatric cases. Higher cost but superior performance in extended bypass.
2. Integrated Oxygenators with Arterial Filter
Combined oxygenator and arterial filter in a single housing. Reduces priming volume, simplifies circuit setup and eliminates one connection point — reducing the risk of air and particle emboli. Particularly advantageous in paediatric cases where circuit priming volume must be minimised.
3. Neonatal and Paediatric Oxygenators
Specially designed for the unique physiology of neonates (weight <5kg) and paediatric patients. Key design features include:
- Very low priming volume (as low as 32mL for neonatal oxygenators)
- Low resistance to blood flow
- Excellent gas transfer at low flow rates
- Integrated heat exchanger for temperature management
- Biocompatible surface coatings to reduce inflammatory response
Sorin LivNova Oxygenators — Product Range
Sorin LivNova is a world leader in cardiac surgery perfusion technology. Their oxygenator range includes some of the most clinically validated products in the field:
LivNova Inspire Series
- Inspire 6F: Adult oxygenator with integrated 40µm arterial filter. Flow range 0.5–6.0 L/min. Phosphorylcholine (PC) biocompatible surface coating. Priming volume 270mL (with heat exchanger and filter).
- Inspire 8F: High-flow adult oxygenator for larger patients. Flow range up to 8.0 L/min. Same PC coating. Ideal for aortic surgery and patients requiring high flow support.
- Inspire Excel: Next-generation oxygenator with improved gas transfer and reduced inflammatory activation.
LivNova Kids Series (Paediatric)
- Inspire Kids 0-5: Neonatal oxygenator with 32mL priming volume. Maximum flow 0.8 L/min.
- Inspire Kids 5-15: Paediatric oxygenator for patients 5–15 kg. Flow up to 1.5 L/min.
- Inspire Kids 15-30: Older paediatric / adolescent range. Flow up to 3.0 L/min.
Eurosets Oxygenators — Product Range
Eurosets (Italy) has established a strong reputation for high-performance oxygenators with advanced biocompatible coatings and competitive pricing. India's Backbone Pharma distributes the full Eurosets range across Asia and Africa.
Eurosets E-Series
- E-VitaLung: Adult oxygenator with integrated arterial filter. Flow up to 7.0 L/min. SAFE coating for heparin-free bypass.
- E-Neonatal: True membrane (PMP) oxygenator for neonates. Priming volume 24mL. Designed for ECMO and neonatal cardiac surgery.
- E-Paediatric: Flow range 0.5–2.5 L/min with integrated heat exchanger.
How to Select the Right Oxygenator
Oxygenator selection should be based on the following clinical and operational criteria:
Patient Weight & Age
- Neonates (<5 kg): Neonatal oxygenator with <40mL priming volume
- Paediatric (5–30 kg): Paediatric oxygenator
- Adults (>30 kg): Standard or high-flow adult oxygenator
Expected Bypass Duration
- Short (<2 hours): Standard microporous PP oxygenator
- Long (>4 hours) or ECMO: PMP diffusion membrane oxygenator
- Redo surgery / complex procedures: Consider PMP with biocompatible coating
Biocompatible Coatings
Modern oxygenators offer various surface coatings to reduce blood activation and inflammatory response:
- Phosphorylcholine (PC) coating — Sorin LivNova's proprietary coating mimicking the outer leaflet of the red blood cell membrane
- Heparin coating — Reduces thrombus formation, allows lower systemic heparinisation
- SAFE coating — Eurosets' albumin-based coating for heparin-free bypass protocols
Why Choose an Authorised Distributor?
When procuring cardiac oxygenators, always source from an authorised distributor to guarantee:
- Authentic, traceable products with valid batch documentation
- Unbroken cold chain and storage conditions
- Valid CE declaration of conformity and WHO-GMP certificate
- Technical support and clinical in-service training
- Recall management and pharmacovigilance coverage
India's Backbone Pharma maintains ISO 13485 certification and full batch traceability for all Sorin LivNova and Eurosets oxygenators. Every shipment includes CE certificates, WHO-GMP documentation and manufacturer's certificate of analysis.
Conclusion
Cardiac oxygenators have evolved dramatically over the past three decades, delivering better gas transfer, lower inflammatory activation and safer patient outcomes. Choosing between brands like Sorin LivNova and Eurosets depends on your patient mix, surgical team preference, budget and supply chain reliability.
India's Backbone Pharma offers the complete range of both brands with competitive pricing, regulatory documentation and fast delivery to India and 50+ international markets. Contact our cardiac surgery supply team for a product consultation and quote.