Breathing easily with a new plastic lung
6 July 2007
UK scientists are building the world's most sophisticated artificial lung. It mimics the human lung more closely than ever before. Could it help ease the transplant shortage? Take a deep breath, as Antenna investigates...
Each day you take around 25,000 breaths - that's over 8,000 litres of air passing through your lungs every 24 hours.
Lung disease affects 1 in 7 people in the UK. There are more than 40 conditions that can affect a person's ability to breathe, and together they kill one in five of us. All ages suffer: cystic fibrosis alone cuts short hundreds of young lives every year. |
In this plastic lung, blood flows through a hollow tube made out of a membrane that oxygen and carbon dioxide can move through.
Image: Science Museum
Scientists in Wales believe their new plastic lung has the potential to help ease the burden of lung disease. In tests they've shown it works just like an actual lung - filling human blood with oxygen. |
Now they've attached a heart-rate sensor that lets the 'lung' adapt to the body's changing needs - just like the real thing. 'The "lung" will be very portable, so patients should be able to walk around while they use it,' says Adrian Evans, emergency medicine consultant at Morriston Hospital, Swansea.
Adrian Evans, Morriston Hospital, Swansea
Image: Douglas Neil
You can see how small the tubes are - this picture shows them next to a brown human hair.
Image: Alex Lubansky
At the heart of the 'lung' are tiny hollow tubes that mimic the millions of little air sacs in natural lungs. The prototype has a single tube, but a fully functioning artificial lung will contain over 10,000. |
The system also has pioneering blood-clot-resisting properties...
'Blood has been designed by nature to clot when it encounters an artificial surface,' says Rhodri Williams from Swansea University. 'We're finding ways around that. The "lung" is an ingenious solution to life-threatening respiratory conditions.'
Image: Rhodri Williams, Swansea University
Image: Rhodri Williams
'Our artificial lung will be able to replace lung function entirely, for up to months at a time, allowing a patient's lungs time to recover,' says Bill Johns, research engineer at Haemair Ltd.
'We hope it could be used as an alternative to lung transplants in 10 years' time. If we can save just one life, the whole enterprise has been worthwhile.'
Image: Bill Johns, Haemair Ltd
Image: Eric Grimes
Other experts are impressed by the potential of the plastic lung. 'In principle, the idea is an excellent one,' explains Keith Prowse, a respiratory consultant and chairman of the British Lung Foundation.
'A portable artificial "lung" would have major effects on a patient's quality of life. It would increase their physical ability, improve their health and reduce their social isolation. It could potentially be a tremendous advance.'
Keith Prowse, chairman of the British Lung Foundation
Image: British Lung Foundation