Abstract: An intravascular membrane lung is adapted for percutaneous venous insertion into a living body and comprises an elongated multi lumen catheter and elongated gas exchange members in the form of a large number of microporous fibers tethered at one end to the catheter and extending away from the catheter in all directions. The microporous fibers are in communication with the lumina of the catheter which includes one conduit for delivery of 100% oxygen to the fibers and another conduit for flushing away carbon dioxide from the fibers. The catheter extends between a proximal end and a distal end being a leading end for insertion into the body. The distal end includes a selectively inflatable balloon having an enlarged size larger than a nominal transverse dimension of said catheter and smaller than the inner nominal dimensions of any of the body cavities into which it extends.

Abstract: An intravascular membrane lung is adapted for percutaneous venous insertion into a living body and comprises an elongated multi lumen catheter and elongated gas exchange members in the form of a large number of microporous fibers tethered at one end to the catheter and extending away from the catheter in all directions. The microporous fibers are in communication with the lumina of the catheter which includes one conduit for delivery of 100% oxygen to the fibers and another conduit for flushing away carbon dioxide from the fibers. The catheter extends between a proximal end and a distal end being a leading end for insertion into the body. The distal end includes a selectively inflatable balloon having an enlarged size larger than a nominal transverse dimension of said catheter and smaller than the inner nominal dimensions of any of the body cavities into which it extends.

Abstract: A cell culture device for use, e.g., as an artificial pancreas, featuring, in various aspects, a semipermeable tube wrapped about a spool and mounted within a cylinder to form a cell culture compartment; an inlet and an outlet strand of the semipermeable tube being wrapped to form alternating adjacent coils to provide improved convective transport; and the semipermeable tube being wrapped to form helical coils to provide improved conductive transport.

Abstract: A cell culture device for use, e.g., as an artificial pancreas, featuring, in various aspects, a tightly wound spiral tube snugly fit in a cavity to form a cell culture compartment, the spiral being eccentrically offset in the cavity to reduce the volume of the compartment, a sloped passage in the body with an end of the tube extending through the passage to the innermost spiral without bending sharply, the ends of the spiral tube communicating with ports on the same side of the body, and a wall of the cavity facing the spiral and being spaced from the tube to form an end of the compartment to provide for simplified cell loading.