An animal model for the study of chronic hypoxemia including long-term follow-up results

We have used a modified technique to create long-standing hypoxemia in dogs. An aortic homograft was inserted between the inferior vena cava and left atrium, after which the caval-right junction was ligated. The resulting obligatory right-to-left shunt and diminished pulmonary blood flow caused significant and predictable hypoxemia and polycythemia. This animal model may be useful in the study of effects of chronic shunt hypoxemia.