Original Article

Clinical Evaluation of the Gas Transfer of the Bentley 10 Plus Bubble Oxygenator during Alpha-Stat Regulated Hypothermic Cardiopulmonary Bypass

¹ Extracorporeal Circulation Technology Department, A.Z. Middelheim, Lindendreef 1, 2020, Antwerpen, Belgium.
² Department of Anaesthesiology, A.Z. Middelheim, Lindendreef 1, 2020, Antwerpen, Belgium.
³ Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, A.Z. Middelheim, Lindendreef 1, 2020, Antwerpen, Belgium.

Abstract

The gas transfer performance of the Bentley 10 Plus^a bubble oxygenator was clinically investigated. 26 consenting adult patients undergoing either Coronary Artery Bypass Grafts (CABG) or valve replacement were perfused using this oxygenating system and moderate hypothermia. Mean body surface area (BSA) was 1.78 square meters ranging from 1.38 to 2.12. During bypass blood flow was maintained at 2.4 1/m²/min. We aimed for an arterial pO₂ between 100 and 200 mmHg and an arterial pCO₂ between 35 and 45 mmHg. Arterial pO₂ was adjusted mainly by the pO₂ control valve setting and pCO₂ by total gas flow.

The blood gas result shows clearly the controllability of the PaO₂ and the PaCO₂. The mean PaO₂ for all the procedures was 154 ± 38 mmHg and the mean PaCO₂ was 39.7 ± mmHg.

The results of this study demonstrate that the correct use of the Bentley 10 Plus^a bubble oxygenator during alpha-stat regulated hypothermic (26–30°C) CPB allows control of the PaO₂ and PaCO₂ levels within preset ranges.