Survival of dogs subjected to profound hypothermia with circulatory support

Thirty-one anesthetized dogs were surface cooled at 5 C and rewarmed after a variable period. Respiration was controlled with a volume respirator. When cardiac arrest occurred, circulation was provided with the mechanical ventricular assistance (MVA) device in 23 dogs. Of the animals maintained for four hours below 10 C on the MVA, 83% were successfully resuscitated. None of the dogs maintained for two hours below 10 C without circulation could be resuscitated. Eleven dogs were studied for a long-term survival after chest closure. Only four of them survived longer than three days. Death after rewarming was due to severe pulmonary insufficiency. Results of this study suggest that provision of oxygenation and a pulsatile circulation during hypothermia improve tissue viability of nonhibernators. The model shows potential for in situ preservation of multiple organs in the cadaver.