Liquid membrane oxygenator

A method of blood oxygenation is presented which uses liquid membranes made of fluorochemical to encapsulate oxygen bubbles, thus preventing a blood gas interface. Whether contact with fluorochemical will induce serious alterations in blood was investigated by means of a unique interface generator. No significant alterations were noted in human whole blood during a 24 hr period of continuous blood fluorochemical interface generation in vitro. Six dogs underwent veno venous perfusion with the interface generator, resulting in continuous contact of their blood with fluorochemical over a 4 hr period. They were followed for up to 53 days after the experimentation, and no chemical or pathological alterations were noted. No contamination of blood by fluorochemical was detected in either the in vitro or the in vivo experiments. Preliminary evaluation of a prototype liquid membrane oxygenator used during heart lung bypass in 2 dogs is reported.