[Heart-lung machine for babies and infants. Development, experimental and clinical testing].

In order to offer the benefit of open heart surgery to the very early age of even new born babies small shaped extracorporeal circulation facilities has been devised and constructed encouraging now the surgeon to an early anatomical correction of congenital heart disease. This heart-lung-machine is equipped with a sophisticated saftey control guaranteeing either a constant flow or a pressure controlled perfusion. Prior to clinical use it has been tested in extensive experimental series including mock circulation and experiments on dogs. First clinical applications in open heart surgery have been successful.