An improved apparatus for blood perfusion of the canine cerebral vasculature

An improved perfusion apparatus is described which consists of a membrane oxygenator, roller pump, reservoir, heat exchanger, blood filter, and inert tubing. Heparinized blood may be used and is delivered at flow rates from 10 to 250 ml/min. Dogs are anesthetized with halothane and their cerebral arterial blood supply isolated by the method of Gilboe et al. (8). When the canine brain is perfused for 5 hr using the described apparatus, the rates of cerebral oxygen and glucose consumption are 5.19±0.12 ml/100 g/min and 39.9±6.5 μmol/100 g/min, respectively. Of the total glucose consumed by the brain, about 1/4 is contributed by the erythrocytes. An equivalent of about 9% of the consumed glucose is returned to the blood as lactate. Electron microscopic examination of cerebral cortex samples reveals no differences between 5-hr perfused brain and appropriate nonperfused controls. It is concluded that the apparatus is a useful system for organ perfusion and that the canine brain perfused by this method remains physiologically and metabolically active for at least 5 hr.