  Crises like COVID-19 can create a massive unmet demand for rare blood
oxygenation membrane machines for impaired lungs: Extracorporeal Membrane
Oxygenation (ECMO) machines. Meanwhile, Hemodialysis (HD) machines, which use
membranes to supplement failing kidneys, are extremely common and widespread,
with orders of magnitude more available than for ECMO machines. This short
study examines whether the membranes for HD can be modified for use in blood
oxygenation (ECMO). To do so, it considers mass transfer at the micro-scale
level, and calculations for the macro-scale level such as blood pumping rates
and O2 supply pressure. Overall, while this conversion may technically be
possible, poor gas transport likely requires multiple HD membranes for one
patient.
