Perfusion
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Various methods exist in the clinical practice of long-term venovenous (VV) extracorporeal life support (ECLS). Among the clinical techniques used are single venous access with a dual-lumen catheter, and cannulation of the jugular and femoral veins. Tidal flow VV ECLS uses a single-lumen catheter to achieve both venous drainage and arterialized reinfusion through a series of tubing occluders that are automated by a pump. ⋯ A small elevation in pHgb did not rise above normal clinical levels of 15 mg/dL in either group after four hours of ECLS. Some recirculation was observed and needs to be addressed in future studies. Single occluder tidal flow ECLS may be feasible and efficacious for long-term application once recirculation is resolved and the system evaluated for long-term support.