VENO-RIGHT VENTRICLE BYPASS AS A LUNG SUPPORT SYSTEM DURING PULMONARYSURGERY WITHOUT VENTILATION

A special lung support technique is required during carinal or trachea l surgery. Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has become an accepted technique for temporary lung support. Therefore, th e purpose of our experiments was to evaluate the effect of venovenous ECMO (veno-right ventricle bypass) without ventilatory support. In fiv e mongrel dogs, two venous drainage cannula were inserted into the sup erior vena cava through the right jugular vein and the inferior vena c ava through the right femoral vein. In addition, a venous return cannu la was inserted into the right ventricle (RV) through the right jugula r vein. The veno-right ventricle (veno-RV) bypass system was composed of a centrifugal pump and membrane oxygenator; pump flow was maintaine d at 88 +/- 14 ml/kg/min. Excellent hemodynamics and good oxygenation were obtained. On the basis of these results, we conclude that veno-RV bypass may be used as lung support during pulmonary surgery even thou gh the native lung is not ventilated during the veno-RV bypass procedu re.