Development of a practical membrane lung system.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a compact, single-pump membrane oxygenator system designed for both short-term open-heart procedures and long-term extracorporeal support. Work was directed at developing a compatible, disposable venous reservoir, fabricating a compact mounting board, determining acceptable priming volumes, and establishing safe and effective modes of setup and operation. Ten adult baboons undergoing total cardiopulmonary autotransplantation as part of a separate study were operated on using a 1.5 m2 Kolobow spiral-coil membrane system. Blood gases, oxygen transfer, extracorporeal blood flows, priming volume, and setup times were determined. In addition, 3 infant and 6 adult human subjects undergoing cardiac operations in which spiral-coil membranes of various sizes were used were also similarly studied. The data and experience from these studies suggest that the spiral-coil membrane system utilized is safe and effective in procedures requiring short-term cardiopulmonary bypass.