Application of a pressure-relieving air compliance chamber in a single-pulsatile extracorporeal life support system: an experimental study.
Nonpulsatile blood pumps are mainly used in extracorporeal life support systems. Although pulsating blood flow is known to be physiological, a pulsatile pump is not commonly applied in a circuit with a membrane oxygenator because of damage to the blood cells. The hypothesis that the placement of a pressure-relieving compliance chamber in a circuit might reduce blood cell trauma was tested. An extracorporeal life support circuit was constructed in an acute lung injury model of dogs by oleic acid infusion. The animals were divided into three groups. In group I (n = 6) a nonpulsatile centrifugal pump was used as a control. In group II (n = 4) a single-pulsatile pump was used, and in group III (n = 6) a single-pulsatile pump equipped with a compliance chamber was used. Pump flow was maintained at 1.8-2.0 L/min for 2 h. Hemodynamics and blood gas analyses indicated that the pulsatile groups II and III had better results than the nonpulsatile group I. The plasma-free hemoglobin level, which indicates blood cell trauma, was the lowest in group I and the highest in group II but was significantly decreased in group III. A pressure-relieving compliance chamber could significantly reduce high circuit pressures and blood cell trauma.
Kim
Tae Sik
TS
Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
Sun
Kyung
K
Lee
Kyu Baek
KB
Lee
Hye Won
HW
Baek
Kwang Je
KJ
Park
Sung Young
SY
Son
Ho Sung
HS
Kim
Kwang Taik
KT
Kim
Hyoung Mook
HM
D000818:Animals; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000473:pathology; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D002498:Centrifugation; D004285:Dogs; D004867:Equipment Design; D005112:Extracorporeal Circulation; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D023421:Models, Animal; D011673:Pulsatile Flow / Q000502:physiology; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000628:therapy*
D006454:Hemoglobins