Proceedings

The Effect of Temperature on the Pressure Drops Across 25 and 40 Micron Arterial Line Filters

¹ American Bentley, Irvine, CA
² Atlanta, GA

^* Direct Communications to: Michael E. Kopp, American Bentley, 17502 Armstrong Avenue, Irvine, CA 92714

Abstract

The purpose of this in vitro study was to quantitate the effect of temperature on the pressure drop, ΔP, across 25 and 40 micron arterial line filters. The pressure drop for each micron size filter was found to significantly increase (P < .01) with decreasing blood temperature when measured at a constant blood flow (Q = 5 LPM) and a hematocrit of 35%. Protein electropheresis, hematology analysis, and testing for cryoglobulins indicated that blood clot formation or cryoprecipitates did not contribute to the measured pressure drop. During the conduct of extracorporeal circulation knowledge of pressure drop versus blood temperature is useful to the perfusionist in accounting for temperature effects when reading the pressure at the arterial filter inlet.

Before deciding to bypass an arterial filter because of a high inlet pressure reading the perfusionist should consider the effect of temperature.