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Biomedical subjects

F L Fazzalari

Publications and source records attributed to F L Fazzalari.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in adults: radiographic findings and correlation of lung opacity with patient mortality.

PURPOSE: To describe the radiographic appearance of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in adults and to correlate lung opacity with physiologic parameters and mortality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Chest radiographs of 50 adults treated with ECMO were reviewed; pre-ECMO radiographs were available in 35 patients. Lung opacity was assigned a score of 0-4. Complications of ECMO seen at chest radiography were recorded. RESULTS: The lung opacity scores of the first post-ECMO radiographs were higher than those of the pre-ECMO radiographs in 17 of 35 patients (P = .0005). Maximum opacity score was significantly lower for patients who survived compared with those who died (P = .001). Twelve of 14 patients (86%) with a maximum opacity score of 4 died, compared with eight of 29 patients (28%) with a maximum score of 3. Sixteen of 26 patients (61%) with evidence of baro-trauma died, compared with six of 24 patients (25%) without pneumothorax (P = .02). Four patients developed hemothorax. CONCLUSION: Lung opacity increases immediately after initiation of ECMO. Increased opacity corresponds to decreased pulmonary function, and severe opacity correlates strongly with mortality.

Adolescent↗

An intrapleural lung prosthesis: rationale, design, and testing.

Extracorporeal life support (ECLS or ECMO) is standard treatment for severe respiratory failure but poses many contraindications to future lung transplantation. The solution to this dilemma is the implantable gas exchange device (IGED) or artificial lung. Preliminary efforts to create such an artificial lung have been made since 1970 and include designs involving single devices, intravascular devices (i.e., IVOX), and combination heart-lung devices. Stringent requirements govern the design of such a device, the most important of which are high gas exchange efficiency, low resistance to blood flow, and size. This paper describes such a device. It incorporates large diameter inflow and outflow ports in close proximity and a low resistance wound hollow fiber core encapsulated in a compliant outer shell which conserves the work of the right ventricle. In a large animal model (adult sheep) this device was connected in line with the main pulmonary artery in series with the native lungs. This configuration has the advantages of using the lungs as an embolic filter, perfusing the lungs with fully oxygenated blood, and maintaining the integrity of the anatomy necessary for transplant. Laboratory experiments have run > 8 h. Preliminary data show that the animals have remained hemodynamically stable while the devices have supported the animals completely by supplying 100% O2 saturation with PO2 values ranging from 250-350 mm Hg. Additionally, this model makes possible the study of respiratory failure without introducing other variables such as extracorporeal circuits or pumps. The other metabolic, endocrine, and reticuloendothelial functions of normal and injured lungs can now be studied more precisely by excluding these variables.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

The development of an implantable artificial lung.

This report describes the development of an implantable gas exchange device. The device is composed of hollow fiber elements wound around a central open core enclosed in a compliant outer casing, offering very low resistance to blood while providing adequate gas exchange. The purpose of this study was to determine if this device design can completely support the gas exchange requirements of a large animal when the device is placed in series with the main pulmonary artery (PA). Six 40-80 kg adult sheep were used. The device was placed with vascular grafts anastomosed end to side on the proximal and distal main PA. The study began with the entire right ventricular blood flow being diverted through the device by occlusion of a snare around the PA between the vascular grafts. Total gas exchange then was provided by the device and the endotracheal tube was clamped. Results showed that this pumpless potentially implantable device is capable of completely supporting the gas exchange requirements of the experimental animals for up to 8 hours in the acute setting without significant change in cardiac index (CI) and oxygen consumption (VO2) compared with baseline. CI = 55.0 +/- 17.0 cc/min/kg versus 45.0 +/- 17.3 cc/min/kg. VO2 = 1.90 +/- 0.96 cc O2/min/kg versus 2.08 +/- 0.54 cc O2/min/kg.

Animals↗