Comparison of centrifugal and roller pump hemolysis rates at low flow

We compared in vitro rates of hemolysis for a recently developed centrifugal pump with a conventional roller pump (10-10-00; Stackert, Munich, Germany). Flow rates of 0.3 L/min and 1 L/min and a pressure of 200 mm Hg were chosen to simulate conditions during neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). There was no significant difference in hemolysis rates between centrifugal and roller pumps (p = 0.57) nor between high and low flow (p = 0.86). The centrifugal pump caused no more blood trauma than the roller pump at the low-flow/high-pressure conditions required for neonatal ECMO. The Nikkiso pump is superior to roller pumps in size and priming volume (25 ml) and may permit development of a smaller and simpler ECMO system.