Background

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) provides effective support for respiratory and circulatory functions and stands as an essential means in the management of life-threatening conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a novel ECMO system in awake sheep models across various support durations.

Methods

Ten healthy Hu sheep were divided into venovenous (VV) and venoarterial (VA) groups, further categorized into short, medium, and long-term observation subgroups. Vital signs and blood indices were meticulously monitored. The integrity of heparin coatings and thrombosis in the ECMO system were assessed at indicated time points, followed by histopathological analysis.

Results

All ten sheep survived to their planned endpoints under awake ECMO, exhibiting stable vital signs without notable reductions in blood cells. With the support of ECMO, all sheep demonstrated a significant increase in partial pressure of oxygen (PO₂) and maintained oxygen saturation (SO₂) between 99.8 and 100%. The heparin coating remained relatively intact even after prolonged ECMO operation. Anatomical observations and pathological histology analyses of major organs revealed no apparent abnormalities.

Conclusions

In healthy Hu sheep models with different maintenance periods, the novel ECMO support in awake state demonstrated high safety and feasibility.