Objective To study if using autologous lung as a substitute of oxygenator in cardiopulmonary bypass is better than the conventional cardiopulmonary bypass with artificial oxygenator in pulmonary preservation. Methods Twelve piglets were randomly divided into two groups (n=6). The isolated lung perfusion model was established. The experimental animals underwent continuous lung perfusion for about 120 min. While the control animals underwent 90 min lung ischemia followed by 30 min reperfusion. Another 12 piglets were randomly divided into two groups (n=6). The experimental animals underwent bi-ventricular bypass with autologous lung perfusion. While control animals underwent conventional cardiopulmonary bypass with artificial oxygenator. The bypass time and aortic cross clamping time were 135 min and 60 min respectively for each animal. The lung static compliance (Cstat), alveolus-artery oxygen difference (PA-aO_ 2 ), TNF-α, IL-6 and wet to dry lung weight ratio (W/D) were measured. Histological and ultra-structural changes of the lung were also observed after bypass. Results After either isolated lung perfusion or cardiopulmonary bypass, the Cstat decreased, the PA-aO_ 2 increased and the content of TNF-α increased for both groups, but the changes of experimental group were much less than those of control group. The lower W/D ratio and mild pathological changes in experimental group than those in control group were also demonstrated. Conclusion Autologous lung is able to tolerate the nonpulsatile perfusion. It can be used as a substitute to artificial ogygenator in cardiopulmonary bypass to minimize the inflammatory pulmonary injury caused mainly by ischemic reperfusion and interaction of the blood to the non-physiological surface of artificial oxygenator.
