Table 2.

Seven arterial line filter ranking criteria.

In Vitro Test	Ranking Criteria	Comment
Separation of flowing GME*	Percent removal at rated pore size	The percent removal of flowing GME distribution* below the reported pore size (μm) of the filter screen
	90% efficiency rating	Micrometer size where filter removes 90% of flowing GME distribution*
Room air bolus	Largest micrometer gas emboli passed	Largest micrometer gaseous emboli measured at filter outlet after room air bolus
	Cubic micrometers of gas passed after room air bolus	Gas volume passed in ×107 μm3 after filter inlet 10 mL room air bolus calculated from outlet GME distribution
	Seconds after bolus	Seconds that GME persist down to 2 GME/sec at filter outlet after room air bolus
Blood flow resistance	Prime volume in cubic centimeters	The prime volume reported by the manufacturer
	Flow resistance (mmHg/L/min)	Calculated from pressure drop measurements at 4.5 L/min for bovine 20% hematocrit blood at 32°C

^*Flowing GME distribution is >10⁴ 10- to 200-μm suspended gaseous emboli flowing at 4.5 L/min, 20% hematocrit bovine blood at 32°C.