Cardiac output during high afterload artificial lung attachment.

Attachment of thoracic artificial lungs (TALs) can increase right ventricular (RV) afterload and decrease cardiac output (CO) under certain conditions. However, there is no established means of predicting the extent of RV dysfunction. The zeroth harmonic impedance modulus, Z0, was thus examined to determine its effectiveness at predicting CO during high afterload TAL attachment.

Large animal model of chronic pulmonary hypertension.

A large animal model is needed to study artificial lung attachment in a setting simulating chronic lung disease with significant pulmonary hypertension (PH). This study sought to create a sheep model that develops significant PH within 60 days with a low rate of mortality. Sephadex beads were injected in the pulmonary circulation of sheep every other day for 60 days at doses of 0.

Seven-day artificial lung testing in an in-parallel configuration.

Background: A thoracic artificial lung, the MC3 Biolung, is being developed as a bridge to lung transplantation or as a treatment for acute respiratory insufficiency.

Methods: The thoracic artificial lung was tested in 10 sheep with the goal of 7 days of respiratory support. The sheep were recovered from surgery and monitored awake for 7 days.

Improving Blood Compatibility of Intravascular Oxygen Sensors Via Catalytic Decomposition of S-Nitrosothiols to Generate Nitric Oxide In Situ.

Reliable, real-time, in vivo sensing (intravascular) of blood gases and electrolytes remains a difficult challenge owing to biocompatibility issues that occur when chemical sensors are implanted into the blood stream. Recently, local release of nitric oxide (NO) at the sensor/blood interface has been suggested as a potential solution to this problem. However, the lifetime of NO release from thin polymer films coated on implanted sensors is limited by the reservoir of NO donor loaded within the polymeric coating.

Effect of artificial lung compliance on in vivo pulmonary system hemodynamics.

This study examined the effect of artificial lung compliance (C) on pulmonary system (PS) impedance and right ventricular function during in-series attachment of the MC3 Biolung in adult sheep. Compliances, C, of 0-20 ml/mm Hg were tested at the Biolung inlet. Results indicate the PS 0 harmonic input impedance modulus was not affected by C.

A polymethylpentene fiber gas exchanger for long-term extracorporeal life support.

A polymethylpentene (PMP) fiber gas exchange device was evaluated in healthy sheep (35-42 kg) to characterize its performance and potential use in clinical extracorporeal life support (ECLS). Five PMP devices (1.3 m2) were compared with five silicone rubber membrane lung (SRML) devices (1.