Peritoneal oxygenation. A feasibility analysis.

Peritoneal oxygenation is a proposed method of augmenting a patient's oxygen supply via a non-pulmonary pathway. Thirteen experiments were performed in which an oxygenation fluid was infused into the peritoneal cavity of a dog and allowed to remain for 18 minutes to almost one hour. The two oxygen transporting fluids tested were: 1) a slightly hypertonic aqueous solution of NaCl and dextrose, and 2) perfluorodecalin. A one-compartment open model was developed to describe the decrease of the PO2 in the infusion solution with time. A second mathematical model was developed to determine the limitation blood flow placed on oxygen transport. Even though no physiologic signs of oxygen uptake were observed in dogs with normal lung function, physiologically significant oxygen delivery was evidenced in acutely hypoxic animals.