Recently, the National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials of Sichuan University(NERCB), and the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University have jointly developed an ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) system. The system has entered the stage of large animal experiment. The results show that the system has stable performance and good biocompatibility, which is expected to benefit more patients and save their lives.

Also known as the artificial lungs, the ECMO systemis very similar to a heart-lung machine that is used to continue the supply of blood andoxygenwhile the heart is stopped, such as during open heart surgery. ECMO therapy, however, is intended for patients whose heart and lungs cannot normally function on their own.The core technologies of ECMO system include membrane oxygenator, anticoagulant coating technology and blood pump design. After a long period of development, domestic manufacturers are now able to produce membrane oxygenators and blood pumps. However, the technology of long-term and stable anticoagulant coating has been completely controlled by foreign companies. As a result, no Chinese companies can produce a complete set of ECMO system. At present, the ECMO machines all rely on import, and the market is monopolized by Maquet, Medtronic, Inc and Sorin. Besides, the price is high. Once foreign countries ban the export of such machines for military strategy, it will have a profound impact on the first aid of patients in China.

In recent years, NERCB has conducted research and developed the core technology of long-term anticoagulant coating for ECMO system, which represents a major breakthrough in the research and development of domestic ECMO system. The special multi-arm block material independently developed by the team can be used in manufacturing the long-term anticoagulant coating for ECMO system (including hollow fiber of membrane oxygenator, centrifugal pump head, cannula and circulation pipeline, etc.). The coating has strong interfacial bonding ability, long-lasting anticoagulant stability better than its foreign counterparts, and it has good ductility and is anti-inflammatory. The technology has applied for a number of national invention patents. In the meantime, the research center cooperated with Xi'an Jiaotong University and enterprises to develop centrifugal pump and program-controlled monitoring system, and developed China’s own ECMO system. Testing and large animal experiments have shown that the system has stable performance and good biocompatibility. So far, the prototype of ECMO system employing the long-term anticoagulant coating has been completed, which is expected to break the foreign monopoly on ECMO system. Once the system is put into practice in large quantity, it will greatly reduce the treatment cost and benefit more patients.