[Membrane oxygenators in cardiac surgery: progress].

This study tries to define if the membrane oxygenators are available during cardiac surgery under E.C.C., and if their performance are superior to those of conventional oxygenators. Two series of research are done. In the first one, we compare performance of two membrane oxygenators: the Rhône-Poulenc heart-lung machine (10 cases) and the Travenol TMO Teflo machine (100 cases). The general impression is good: the two proposed systems seem to be perfectly well adapted to surgical utilization conditions, avoiding excessive ventilations and eventually allowing to keep on E.C.C. in postoperative. In the second part of this work, two series of patients are studied, one oeprated under membrane oxygenator (Teflo), the second under bubble oxygenator (Bentley Q 100). Comparative study shows small differences between the two groups. Only the post-operative enzymatic profile is clearly for the membrane oxygenator which also insure a waking and a postoperative recovery of highest quality. These first observations justify to keep on using of membrane oxygenators in cardiac surgery.