Evaluation of a range of arterial line filters: Part I

In this, the first part of our filter evaluation programme, we shall be concentrating on two aspects of extracorporeal arterial line filtration performance. These aspects are the haemodynamic and haematological properties of a range of arterial line filters. A wide range of filters has evolved, all designed to meet the general selection criteria for arterial line filtration devices. There has been some concern expressed by the perfusion community regarding the possibility of damage to formed blood elements by the complicated fluid pathways within these filters and also to the potential resistance to flow exhibited by these filters. However, despite these concerns, the employment of arterial line filtration devices in clinical perfusion practice is unquestionably on the increased As a result of this increase in interest in arterial line filtration the number of commercially available filters has also increased to the extent that currently the potential user has a staggering number of devices to choose from. These devices vary in terms of filtration method, pore size and method of gas removal. This particular study concentrated on 13 different types of arterial line filter including one depth filter. These were: