Blood trauma during extracorporeal circulation: a comparison between two bubble and two membrane oxygenators in a...

Determination of blood traumatization by extracorporeal circulation systems (ECC) in clinical trials may be interfered with by the underlying heart disease, by priming the circuit with blood or plasma expanders and by different operation techniques requiring a variable amount of coronary suction. Therefore, in this study a standardized animal model was used to compare blood traumatization in 2 bubble and 2 membrane oxygenators. After 2 hours of extracorporeal circulation, there was no advantage of the membrane over the bubble oxygenators concerning hemolysis, platelet preservation and induction of clotting factors. Red cells and platelets were traumatized in membrane oxygenators during the first 30 minutes without a significant further increase, whereas blood trauma in bubble oxygenators increased until bypass was disconnected. Therefore bubble oxygenators appear better suited for shorter perfusions, whereas membrane oxygenators are the superior choice in perfusions lasting longer than 2 hours.