Impact of red cell distribution in sheared blood flow upon quantification of hemolysis rate in artificial organs

Blood contacting artificial organs, whether used as a bridge to transplantation, or even as a permanent organ replacement, find ever increasing application in contemporary medicine. Hemocomptibility and blood trauma minimization (e. g. hemolysis) are the two key factors in artificial organ development and design optimization. These issues become rather imperative for blood contacting devices, designed for long term application. Hemolysis is considered to be a function of shear stress and shear exposure time. Each device, based on its function, it may perform under a very broad range of operational conditions; high shear stress and short exposure time, e. g. ventricle assist devices (VAD's) or low shear stress and long exposure time (e. g. dialyzers).