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Physiology of Extracorporeal Gas Exchange

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Circulating venous blood outside the body, through an artificial lung (membrane oxygenator), and returning oxygenated blood to the patient is extracorporeal gas exchange. Oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange in a membrane lung is controlled by regulating blood flow, blood composition, and device design. With this control, lung function can be replaced for weeks by artificial organs.

Artificial lungs are mechanical devices in which blood is exposed to oxygen through a gas permeable membrane. Like the normal lung, the amount of gas exchange is controlled by the geometry of the device, the blood flow and composition, and the ventilating gas flow and composition. Using artificial lungs with extracorporeal circulation, lung function can be replaced for hours (as in cardiac surgery) or weeks (in respiratory failure).

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