Recently, interest has been generated in femoral vein to femoral artery bypass with a membrane oxygenator for prolonged acute reversible pulmonary insufficiency states. The present study compared oxygen tension in the femoral (FAPo2) and brachial (BAPo2) arteries and right ventricle (RV) at various femoral-to-femoral bypass flows.
Respiratory distress was induced by creating bilateral pneumothorax and total lung collapse in 12 dogs.
Blood gas determinations made before and after respiratory distress and at various flow rates during supportive femoral-femoral bypass indicated wide differences in mean FAPo2 and BAPo2: 110 mm Hg at maximum bypass flows, and 151 mm Hg at minimum flows. In six dogs, BAPo2 fell an average of 22 mm Hg in going from maximum to minimum flow rates; in six dogs BAPo2 rose an average of 24 mm Hg; RVPo2 changed very little.