Sheep lung as xenograft oxygenator of human blood: An ex vivo study

: In order to study whether sheep lung could be used as a suitable oxygenator for human blood, the left lungs of two groups of five sheep were used in an “isolated perfused working lung model system.” A desaturator was inserted in the circuit and the lung was ventilated with ambient air. The lung was perfused in group 1 with heparinated autologous sheep blood and in group 2 with washed human erythrocytes suspended in buffered gelatin. Blood oxygenation as well as hemodynamics and airway parameters followed similar time course in both groups.