Multi-stage Acoustophoretic Separation of Particles from Blood

Surgical procedures often utilize a cardiopulmonary bypass machine in order to maintain the function of the human circulatory system. Unfortunately, the procedure is often associated with complications such as cognitive decline. These complications are thought to be related to the lipid microemboli formed during cardiotomy suction, which circulate in the system and block blood vessels in the brain. A single-stage acoustophoresis device was recently developed to separate lipids and red blood cells from whole blood, with the eventual goal to remove the lipid microemboli. In this work, a multi-stage acoustophoretic separation device is being developed in order to improve the efficiency of the current system.