SIMPLE VENO-ARTERIAL PERFUSION as well as partial or total cardiopulmonary bypass are suggested methods of therapy for acute heart failure. This study was designed to clarify the following requirements for successful application of veno-arterial perfusion: (1) The equipment must be simple, easily assembled, and readily available. (2) The subject must have a potentially reversible illness. (3) The optimal techniques of perfusion must be defined before application of the method.Material and MethodsAdult dogs were used as the experimental subjects. Acute pulmonary embolism was selected as a condition satisfying the criterion of being potentially reversible. Mineral oil was used to produce pulmonary embolism. All animals were given heparin intravenously and anesthetized with pentobarbital (Nembutal). Additional heparin and pentobarbital were given as needed to maintain an effective blood level of each agent. A plastic catheter was placed in the left femoral artery, the right femoral artery, and the jugular vein. Records