[Evaluation of the efficacy of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation of animals with acute respiratory insufficiency].

The efficiency of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was studied for 2-3 hours in experiments on dogs with severe ventilatory respiratory failure. Extracorporeal oxygenation led to the decrease in arterial hypoxaemia and hypercapnia in animals. However, the variables did not reach the initial levels and were closer to normal values during veno-venous and not veno-arterial perfusion. During extracorporeal membrane oxygenation total systemic blood flow exceeded the initial level irrespective of the means of perfusion and total oxygen transport did not decline lower than the initial level. At the same time during veno-arterial perfusion oxygen delivery provided by the cardiac output decreased almost two-fold by the second hour of perfusion. This might be the reason for inadequate oxygen delivery to the brain and heart. 67% and 71% of animals survived after veno-arterial and veno-venous perfusion, respectively.