Membrane Oxygenation Improves Functional Myocardial Preservation and Enables Colloid-Enriched Perfusion in the Langendorff Isolated Heart Model

Background: The Langendorff isolated heart model remains one of the most widely used experimental platforms for cardiovascular research. However, conventional bubble oxygenation is associated with several limitations, including inefficient gas utilization and incompatibility with protein-containing perfusates due to excessive foam formation. The present study evaluated whether membrane oxygenation could improve myocardial preservation and facilitate the use of a protein-enriched perfusion solution in a constant-pressure Langendorff system. Methods: A total of 48 male Wistar rats were allocated to six experimental groups (n = 8 per group). In the first experimental series, myocardial performance was compared between a conventional bubble oxygenator, a Terumo CAPIOX® FX05 membrane oxygenator, and a Novalung iLA membrane oxygenator. In the second series, standard Krebs–Henseleit buffer was compared with a bovine serum albumin-enriched perfusate under membrane oxygenation. Hemodynamic parameters, coronary flow, and perfusate pH were assessed throughout a 180 min ischemia–reperfusion protocol. Results: Both membrane oxygenators demonstrated significantly improved myocardial preservation compared with the conventional bubble oxygenator, as evidenced by superior systolic and diastolic function, enhanced coronary flow, and improved overall cardiac performance. No significant differences were observed between the two membrane oxygenators. Membrane oxygenation additionally enabled stable supplementation of the perfusate with bovine serum albumin, which resulted in further improvements in ventricular function and coronary perfusion. Perfusate pH remained comparable among groups. Furthermore, membrane oxygenation reduced Carbozen consumption by approximately 33%, increasing the number of experiments that could be performed using a standard gas cylinder. Conclusions: The present findings suggest that membrane oxygenation may represent a simple and effective refinement of the Langendorff isolated heart model. Beyond improving myocardial preservation, it enables the use of protein-enriched perfusates and substantially reduces gas consumption. These findings support the incorporation of membrane oxygenation into modern Langendorff systems and provide a foundation for the development of more physiologically relevant isolated organ perfusion models.