Cardiopulmonary bypass in the cat.

Objective: To assess the physiologic response to, and acute survival of, cats undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and to evaluate the efficacy of a commercial human pediatric oxygenator system on cats weighing less than 6 kg.

Study Design: Experimental study.

Animals: Six intact male cats

Methods: Cats were placed on cardiopulmonary bypass by cannulating the cranial and caudal vena cavae and the carotid artery.