Extracorporeal life support (ECLS or ECMO) is standard treatment for s
evere respiratory failure but poses many contraindications to future l
ung transplantation. The solution to this dilemma is the implantable g
as exchange device (IGED) or artificial lung. Preliminary efforts to c
reate such an artificial lung have been made since 1970 and include de
signs involving single devices, intravascular devices (i.e., IVOX), an
d combination heart-lung devices, Stringent requirements govern the de
sign of such a device, the most important of which are high gas exchan
ge efficiency, low resistance to blood flow, and size. This paper desc
ribes such a device. It incorporates large diameter inflow and outflow
ports in close proximity and a low resistance wound hollow fiber core
encapsulated in a compliant outer shell which conserves the work of t
he right ventricle. In a large animal model (adult sheep) this device
was connected in line with the main pulmonary artery in series with th
e native lungs. This configuration has the advantages of using the lun
gs as an embolic filter, perfusing the lungs with fully oxygenated blo
od, and maintaining the integrity of the anatomy necessary for transpl
ant. Laboratory experiments have run > 8 h. Preliminary data show that
the animals have remained hemodynamically stable while the devices ha
ve supported the animals completely by supplying 100% O2 saturation wi
th PO2 values ranging from 250-350 mm Hg. Additionally, this model mak
es possible the study of respiratory failure without introducing other
variables such as extracorporeal circuits or pumps. The other metabol
ic, endocrine, and reticuloendothelial functions of normal and injured
lungs can now be studied more precisely by excluding these variables.
Further studies are needed to evaluate this device in chronic (long-t
erm implantation) experiments before clinical application.