Clinical evaluation of the gas transfer of the Bentley 10 Plus bubble oxygenator during alpha-stat regulated hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass

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/m 2 /min. We aimed for an arterial pO 2 between 100 and 200 mmHg and an arterial pCO 2 between 35 and 45 mmHg. Arterial pO 2 was adjusted mainly by the pO 2 control valve setting and pCO 2 by total gas flow. The blood gas result shows clearly the controllability of the PaO 2 and the PaCO 2 . The mean PaO 2 for all the procedures was 154 ± 38 mmHg and the mean PaCO 2 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 PaO 2 and PaCO 2 levels within preset ranges.