Abstract
We have developed artificial placenta which contains a mem bran oxygenator and a roller pump. Fetal blood collected from the umbirical arteries is oxygenated by the membrane oxygenator (Menox 2000), and returned to the umbirical vein. Seven goat fetues obtained by Cesarian incision. Using this system, 4 goat fetues were incubated for 43 hours(3-70hours). Three of them were dead from cardiac failure caused by ductus arteriosus constriction. The other case was lost from a tube trouble. Prostagrandin E1(PGE1) were given from the right ventricle in another three cases for the purpose of dilatation of ductus arteriosus. In two cases PGE 1 was infused in dose of 0.1μg/kg/min for 30 minutes. After infusion of PGE 1, constricted ductus arteriosus(DA) were dilatated. PGE1 was given by continuous infusion from beginning of ECMO perfusion in another of them. In this case, echocardiography showed that DA was opened continuously for 90 hours during ECMO. This finding suggsted that PGE 1 prevented the constriction of DA and permitted long support of fetal circulation by artificial placenta.
