Novel mouse model of cardiopulmonary bypass.

Objectives: Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is an essential component of many cardiac interventions, and therefore, there is an increasing critical demand to minimize organ damage resulting from prolonged extracorporeal circulation. Our goal was to develop the first clinically relevant mouse model of CPB and to examine the course of extracorporeal circulation by closely monitoring haemodynamic and oxygenation parameters.

Methods: Here, we report the optimization of device design, perfusion circuit and microsurgical techniques as well as validation of physiological functions during CPB in mice after circulatory arrest and reperfusion.