Modelling lung and tissue diffusion using a membrane oxygenator circuit

A simple model lung has been designed using a membrane oxygenator circuit comprising two membrane oxygenators primed with one to two litres of equine blood, giving reproducible results over several hours. Normoxia and normocapnia were achieved consistently over the duration of the test with a blood flow of 2.5 l/min, oxygenator ventilation gas flow of 5 l/min air with 0.3 l/min O2 and deoxygenator ventilation gas flow of 5 l/min 5% CO2 in N2 with 0.2 l/min CO2. The measured PaO2 was 81.3 (SD 3.35 mmHg), PvO2 38.3 (SD 1.38 mmHg), PvCO2 60.6 (SD 1.13 mmHg) and PaCO2 36.1 (SD 0.69mmHg). MO2 and MCO2 were 116 ml/min and 169 ml/min, respectively. An increasing linear relationship was observed for FiO2 and the corresponding PaO2 and, similarly, with FiCO2 and PvCO2, providing reference ranges for this model.