Closed-chest circulatory support by pump-oxygenator in experimental ventricular fibrillation at normal temperature.

Abstract

Interest is growing in the use of closed-chest circulatory support via peripheral cannulation, using pumps or pump-oxygenators, both in emergencies encountered during the post-operative period following intracardiac surgery (Spencer, Eiseman, Trinkle, and Rossi, 1965) and electively in intracranial surgery using profound hypothermia and cardiac arrest (Woodhall, Sealy, Hall, and Floyd, 1960;Michenfelder, Kirklin, Uihlein, Svien, and MacCarty, 1964). However, the use of a pump-oxygenator to provide circulatory support in non-surgical cardiopulmonary emergencies such as acute myocardial infarction with shock is still rarely exploited in spite of the early work of

Communications

“…Macroscopic and microscopic examination of the lungs has shown gross haemorrhage. Closed-chest cardio-pulmonary bypass (Proctor, 1966) has now been performed in nine dogs under chloralose anaesthesia (40 mg/kg). Venous drainage was established from the right atrium with a large catheter inserted via the femoral vein, and the blood was then equilibrated with gas mixtures of 3-5 % C02 balance 02, before being pumped back to the * In receipt of a grant from the Wellcome Trust.…”