화학공학소재연구정보센터
Atomization and Sprays, Vol.27, No.10, 847-858, 2017
EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF ENDOSCOPIC CELL SPRAY
Stem cell therapy requires high local concentration of living cells at the area of treatment. An innovative approach aims at high local cell concentrations in hollow organs by application of cells through flexible endoscopy. The endoscope's working channel is equipped with a catheter nozzle for coaxial liquid atomization of cell suspensions. Until now, little information is available regarding the influence of atomization parameters on cell survival and the influence of cells in solution on atomization. Therefore, a parametric study on atomization of cell suspensions is performed in this work. The mutual interaction of cells and atomization is experimentally analyzed, aiming at a correlation between air Reynolds number, droplet sizes, and cell survival rates. The influences of catheter flow, atomization, and droplet wall interaction on cell survival are quantified and thus the extensional flow during ligament formation is identified as main cell destruction mechanism. On the basis of the present endoscopic configuration, integral cell survival rates above 80% are achieved. Thus, it offers the opportunity for homogeneous local distribution of cells in hollow cavities.