Cardiopulmonary-cerebral resuscitation by using cardiopulmonary bypass through the femoral vein and artery in dogs.

Twenty-seven dogs, divided into three groups, were subjected to a normothermic ventricular fibrillation (VF) cardiac arrest of 15 min and resuscitated by using cardiopulmonary bypass through the femoral veins and artery (F-F bypass). Group I (n = 15): Cardiac beating did not return in any dogs during an initial 3-min conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but it returned 5.2 +/- 3.8 min (mean +/- S.D.) after the successive initiation of the F-F bypass in all dogs, except in one with bypass trouble. Intermittent burst waves appeared on the electroencephalogram and continuous waves returned, 90.0 +/- 24.7 min and 130.7 +/- 28.1 min after the start of resuscitation, respectively. Values of blood glucose, lactate and potassium 5-15 min after the F-F bypass were significantly higher than those before induction of VF, while those of blood pH, base excess, hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelet and serum protein decreased significantly. Group II (n = 7): Both local cerebral (CBF) and myocardial blood flow (MCBF) returned to the pre-arrest level soon after the initiation of the F-F bypass, even though spontaneous cardiac beating was not yet restored. Closed or open chest cardiac massage could not produce as much blood flow as the F-F bypass did. In the early stage of restoration of spontaneous circulation, temporary interruption of the bypass led to a decrease in both local CBF and MCBF. Group III (n = 5): Spontaneous circulation was restored in all five dogs 5.2 +/- 1.1 min after the institution of the F-F bypass, which was continued for 164 +/- 30 min under mild hypothermia. After intensive care for a subsequent 6-36 h, the animals barked, moved their forelegs and could drink water. The mean neurological deficit score (normal: 0, brain death: 500) was 100.6. However, macroscopic examination of the brain in two dogs with prominent recovery revealed atrophy of the central gyrus and microscopic examination revealed injuries of the vulnerable neurons of the brain.