General Information

Serial #

370-F

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

stainless steel, clear Pyrex glass, and red rubber ring seals

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

79.0 cm

Width

28.5 cm

Height

25.5 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Medical Technology

Category

Medical equipment

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Pemco

Country

United States of America

State/Province

Ohio

City

Cleveland

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

Period

This unit used during the 1960s.

Canada

This machine was used at the Toronto General Hospital in the 1960s, during open heart surgeries. It replaced the Heimbecker oxygenator, and was in turn replaced by membrane oxygenators in the 1970s. [Ref. 2]

Function

To remove carbon dioxide waste gases from the blood and infuse it with oxygen before circulating it back through the body.

Technical

Designed by Earle B. Kay and Frederick S. Cross, and used in open heart surgeries performed at St. Vincent's Charity hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. 1956+. It's design is based on the Bjork oxygenator (c. 1948) which was used experimentally in animal studies. Rotating in the venous blood fed into the oxygenator cylinder, the discs turned at speeds of up to 120 RPM. This created a thin film of blood on the discs within the oxygen rich cylinder, but no bubbling or foaming [of blood]. The oxygen-infused blood was then circulated back through the patient's body. This device, though effective, was heavy, difficult to sterilize, and required an enormous amount of time to prepare for use. It also required a large amount of venous blood to prime. It was replaced by alternate designs.[ Refs.4 & 5] For detailed technical information on component parts, please see 1962 Pemco catalogue entry for Oxygenator.

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

"PEMCO INC./ CLEVELAND, OHIO" and "SERIAL NO./ 370-F" incised in one exterior end plate. "NO. 1129 PEMCO INC. CLEVELAND, OHIO" incised in both spring-tensioned end rings. "PEMCO INC./ CLEVELAND, OHIO" and "KAY CROSS" incised in opposite end plate. UHN catalogue no. "994.1.23" printed by hand in black ink, below. Rectangular decal applied to glass cylinder reads " Pemco Inc.", with open hand motif.

Missing

One nut missing from horizontal supports flanking cylinder. [NB: Modern wing-nut fitted by CSTM staff, in order to improve stability.]

Finish

Bright silver metal (stainless steel) endpieces & supports; dull silver metal (stainless steel) discs inside clear Pyrex glass cylinder; red rubber ring seals at either end.

Decoration

N/A