Artificial Lungs

The more difficult to solve problem is related to the gas exchange between air and blood. This exchange has to be done at low pressure and requires a very big contact surface. This is the reason lungs have so many small "pockets". The mechanical aspect of blood circulation is al ready solved with "kidney" machines but the surface required for contact in a "lung" is much more important and for time being the problem is not yet solved (as far as I know and I do not know all ) which leads still to replacement of lungs with other lungs with all compatibility problems.

I'm sorry to hear about your mother's illness, Sayjak.

This Wikipedia entry about the iron lung may be of interest to you.

this is not as easy as you suggest. The problem is the inventory of oxygen in the blood is 1-2 minutes for most and probably a lot less for your mom. That means she cannot have a device she uses for4 hours three times a week, like she can with Kidney dialysis.

She can only use high and higher oxygen concentrations with a breathing mask. When that is not sufficient she can go to hyperbaric oxygen (compressed oxygen in a pressure tank), but even that has limits. There is also the problem of the expulsion of CO2, for which an oxygen mask or hyperbaric chamber will work, which will mean the lowest possible body mass and level of exertion to reduce the cross membrane transfer load in both direcctions.

Lung transplants can work if the person is a suitable candidate. A lot depends on the cause of the problem. If it was caused by smoking, you are often placed below non smokers in the queue for the scarce lungs. If she can eke out 10 more years they human-immunogenic pig lungs will be out of trials and ready for full scale use. They are nearly ready. Some people cannot allow the use of any organ derived from a pig, even if it human immunogenic.

TYPO

"" for which an oxygen mask or hyperbaric chamber will work""

should be " for which an oxygen mask or hyperbaric chamber will NOT work, "

My mother died (primarily) of pulmonary fibrosis about 8 years ago, so I am not unsympathetic; but there are limits to our (humankind's) knowledge.

The people who have answered your post are correct: There is not now a viable alternative. We as a species, are still in our infancy as far as our knowledge, and abilities. We cannot hope to duplicate in a few centuries, what evolution has produced in millions of years.

But often, amazing advancements are made by people like yourself, who are both motivated and intelligent. If you need proof of that, just look to the history of the development of the Jarvik 7 artificial heart.

To your statement: Why would it not be possible to design an "artificial lung"? My answer would be that it is possible; just not here yet.

To your statement: I think an approach based on the inevitability of the lungs dying and concentrating on some means to provide an alternative to the sacks we were born with may be prudent. My answer would be that I believe that is the best approach. I applaud your clarity of mind, that you think along these lines, rather than the existing "duct tape" approach. Unfortunately, sometimes duct tape is all you've got.

If there is any hope of "fixing" this illness and a whole slew of others, IMHO it will require breaking the fear that stem cell research and cloning have on the public mind.

Don't lose hope. But more importantly, don't lose your sense of humor (however dark) in the times ahead of you. The pixies and elves that visited my mother during her last days were sadly funny.

Dear Sayjak,

Red blood cells (RBC), pick up O2(oxygen) & let go CO2 (carbon dioxide) in the lungs. RBCs are like pliable donuts filled with hemoblobin (Hg). To be more correct, the hemoglobin inside the RBC are the carriers of CO2 for O2.

A little anantomical understanding about the lung is important to see things a bit clearer. The lung is made up of millions of little air bubbles,alveoli, the wall of which is one cell layer thick. Alveoli are juxtaposed against our smallest vessels, called capillaries; the walls of which are also one cell layer thick. Between alveolar wall, and the capillary wall, there is some matrix substance called Basement Membrane... this is a fluid with some soluable stuff in it. You see, the barriers for the gas exchange will have to be extremely thin in depth.

Now let me explain what each O2 molecule and a CO2 molecule have to go through in a healthy lung. O2 has to move through the cells making up the wall of the alveoli, then through the basement membrane, then through the cell making up the wall of the capillary, then through the serum (the fluid inside the blood), and lastly through the cell membrane of the RBC to reach Hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a giant molecule that will pickup the O2 in exchange for releasing a CO2 molecule that they pickedup elsewhere. The CO2 will have to travel the path back out of the RBC, through the walls of the capillary, and the alveoli... When fibrosis begins to lay down these extra material in the matrix that's between the wall of the capillary & alveoli, the distance gases have to travel to reach their destinations increases greatly.

One way to increase oxygenation is to give a higher concentration of oxygen to the patient, this way driving the oxygen in through these extra barriers... in later stages, we must drive the oxygen in with positive pressure. That's where ventilators come in. Your external respirator machine will be a large machine that must provide miles of surface area that lung alveoli provide, it will require miles of conduits that would allow RBC to travel through, just like capillaries, and enough serum and forward drive of the fluids to allow the gradual gas exchange that ocures in the lung.

It will need a single membrane molecular sieve for exchange of CO2 and O2, high pressure O2 on one side, and a single layer of RBC on the other side. These can be made in hundreds of vertical columns where blood is delivered from the top and in their descent the gas exchange occures; from below, they can be pumped back into the system. Unfortunately, that machine would be quite heavy too. So a lung transplant becomes the best option for such patients. Maybe with the new stem cell research we can make carbon copy of a lung tissue rapid enough to have the patient enjoy new set of lungs without rejection. These may be available one day. Hopefully sooner than later. Mean while, keep a positive attitude. Smile and lighten every moment with your thoughts about a better tomorrow, every day being a new beginning that you and your mom may be able to share with love.

Thanks so much for the concern and informative replies. I guess I KNEW there had to be technological hurdles blocking the development of such a device and after the clear explainations of the amazing design and efficiency of our lungs, I don't hold out hope for a "breakthrough". I guess, while it's sad, one cannot help but be humbled by the elegance and efficiency that your generous explainations helped me to understand. Ever the beliver though, I have tremendous faith in another amazing human organ, the brain. Some gifted student of medicine and technology will, sooner than later I am sure, apply what I picture as a snowball of technological advancement and maybe a fresh paradyme that will result in solutions to this and other dire issues and, instead of studying them as problems, future generations will learn of such things from a historical perspective.

The good news for me and those of you here who expressd concern over Mom's situation is that, after 6 months of regular visits and care, Hospice told they would be back as soon as she really needed them but she continues to break the "rules" and won't cooperate by deteriorating at anywhere near the predicted pace. She is comfortable, curious, and determined. I could not ask for more.

Thanks again,

Sayjak

You are OK.

Dear Sayjak, My deepest sympathies to you and your mother. If I may suggest an alternative? There has been some research done in the field of alternative medicines, specifically natural herbal formulas that may help.

Since 1922 the formula known as Essiac has been used to treat many forms of cancer,with a very high success rate. The reason I mention this is that three of the four compounds in Essiac are very strong blood purifiers, usually called spring tonics.

From what I have read about Pulmonary Fibrosis, it appears to be something that the lungs have taken in and can't rid themselves of. Like a pneumonia. If the blood can cleanse itself then it will allow the lungs to heal, maybe.

Essiac has no negative side effects. It might be worth a try. Any competent herbal shop can supply you with Essiac.

I wish you well.

Dragon

Thanks Dragonsfarm,

I had never heard of this approach but will endeavor to have my Mom give it a try. I really appreciate your taking the time make me aware of the option.

Sayjak

You are most welcome. I have spent most of my life beating the odds, medically. It sounds like your mother is the same type of person.

Good uck to both of you.

Regards Dragon

I suggest you be very wary of anything called essiac. Essiac is a pure and simple fraud for gain on the backs of terminal cancer patients...who clutch at straws.

Phillipino(mainly, there are lots of others) nurses feed the names of terminal patients to the organizers for a finders fee. Then the patient and family are contacted about this cure that the medical community wants to suppress because it's widespread use would lead to thousands of unem-ployed doctors since their patients all walked out of the hospital in good health after taking it.

Desperate people are the most vulnerable of prey.

Now the web is full of all manner of pseudo-scientific crap and praise for essiac, as the web is wont to be.

This is similar to the free energy sources and 1000 mile-per-gallon carburettors that have been suppressed by industry, and many other schemes that prey on people who are a little dim in that field.

Actually Essiac was brought to the public in 1922 by a Registered Nurse in Canada named Rene Caisse (her last name spelled backwards). Caisse received the formula from an Ojibwa Indian patient of hers.

According to the Canadian Medical Association Caisse was allowed to treat only patients who they had diagnosed as terminal. She treated over 100,000 people, most of whom were still alive to bury her when she died at 90 years of age.

Conspiracy by Doctors? Hardly, Essiac is un-patentable as an natural, herbal formula, therefore undesirable by the pharmaceutical companies.

Regards Dragon

everything about essiac if a fraud.

I am expecially concerned when people lend a thin veneer of acceptance to their anecdotal evidence. The active igredient is HCN, or hydrocyanic acid (cyanide) that exists in apricot (and other related seed kernels) as a protective toxin for the seed.

And which drug company do you work for?

Blue

no need to work for a drug company to recognize the essiac fraud for what it is.

These crooks look for terminal cancer patients of any kind and claim they have a cure. These poor desperate people will try anything, and they die.

Every aspect of essiac is a fraud.

It is quite interesting you are part of the group who always consider people involved in a conspiration.

It is a pity such persons live under a constant pressure to be the victims of all environment.

Dear AH, Good Idea to have his mother consult with her physician. I had assumed he would anyway because she is under care. But there is that old meaning of assume.

I read about one of components of Essaic ten years ago, burdock root, used in a clinical trial against skin cancer in white mice. Don't recall exactly where. But I do remember it was touted as being "highly effective".

Regards Dragon

Thanks for the advice Hero..

I will indeed make any inquiries re: changing/adding to her meds to her physician. One of the "symptoms" of what I percieve as diminished oxygen to the brain is that often what my Mom remembers are effectively "sound bytes" but details, even sometimes critical ones, are often lost completely.

Her daily meds are always a source of concern. Correct time, correct medicines, correct doses... It can be confusing for a healthy and well organized person but if you have a tendancy to drift occasionally, there could be some real issues. Fortunately my Brother is currently staying with her and keeping a close ( if undercover ) watch.

Thanks again,

Sayjak

I lost my wife to pulmonay fibrosis this past year. I wish you luck in your search for a cure for your mother. It was increadably hard for me to watch my wife of 23 years slowly asphixiate. Two tanks of LOX providing over 10 lpm could not get her blood oxygen level up.

She had some good years, just not enought of them. If artificial lungs had been available, we would have tried them. Perhaps someday.

May God love and keep you and her.