In eight anesthetized mongrel dogs with thiopental, diazepam and pancuronium bromide, ECMO with arterio-venous shunt was performed under hypoventilation for 24 hours. The blood flow through the ECMO which was connected between the femoral artery and vein was approximately 40% of the cardiac output. Hypoventilation was induced to decrease PaO2 to around 40mmHg and increase PaCO2 to around 80 mmHg. The ECMO improved the abnormal parameters, which were induced by the hypoventilation, to almost normal range (PaO2 80mmHg, PaCO2 30mmHg) for 24 hours. Furthermore, there were no abnormalities in cardiovascular and other systems during ECMO.
Animals Blood Gas Analysis