Perfusion Newswire

Simulation has become an invaluable tool for perfusion education and the goal of improving patient safety during cardiopulmonary bypass.

This survey suggests that the majority of perfusionists believe cell phones raise significant safety issues while operating the heart-lung machine.

Use of previously established resources such as written protocols, checklists, safety devices, and enhanced communication skills has persisted to the present in promoting perfusion safety and has reduced current complication rates to negligible levels.

Vicarious audiovisual learning modules may be an efficacious, low cost means of delivering perfusion training on subjects such as equipment setup and operation. Video learning appears to improve cognition and retention of learned content and may play an important role in how we teach perfusion in the future, as simulation technology becomes more prevalent.

There is increasing awareness that erythrocyte transfusions after pediatric cardiac surgery have deleterious effects. Despite reports of decreased transfusion requirements associated with smaller cardiopulmonary bypass circuits, the relationship between circuit prime volume and need for transfusion has not been systematically examined.