Artificial organs
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Thirty-five patients undergoing open-heart surgery are reported. Cardiac index, mean arterial pressure, oxygen consumption, lactate, pyruvate, and lactate excess in the blood were measured. An inverse correlation of arterial pressure with oxygen consumption and lactate excess was found during perfusion. ⋯ These parameters determined the level of "hypoxic" lactate concentration as well as arterial pressure during perfusion. These data appear to suggest that during perfusion the severity of metabolic disturbances determines the level of arterial pressure rather than vice versa. Arterial pressure and oxygen consumption, thus, cannot be applied as general criteria of the adequacy of extracorporeal circulation.