Category: Perfusion Zone

Heparin is widely used as the anticoagulant of choice for cardiopulmonary bypass. However, some patients exposed to heparin therapies develop heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT).

Minimizing hemodilution by shortening the bypass circuit and performing retrograde autologous prime conserves the use of blood during routine coronary artery bypass surgery.

The combination of PPV reduction with ANH may represent a useful blood conservation approach in adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery with CPB.

To increase the safety of extracorporeal circuits and minimize the effects associated with cardiopulmonary bypass, perfusionists must incorporate FMEA into their clinical practice.

Profound hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass either with low flow rate or with circulatory arrest is equally the preferable choice for the surgery of interrupted aortic arch.

The Terumo Baby-RX™, a new-generation low prime oxygenator, recently has entered the perfusion market in North America. This oxygenator is designed exclusively for neonates and infants and has the smallest priming volume of any clinically available oxygenator.

Although single therapies have shown some promise, the complexity of the response to reperfusion has made dramatic improvement elusive. Effective treatment will most likely require multifaceted antagonism of the numerous pathological cascades initiated by reperfusion.

Off-pump CABG does not confer major protection from postoperative pulmonary dysfunction compared with CABG surgery with CPB.

Presently, the recommendation for adults undergoing cardiovascular surgical procedures is that there should be concern about blood glucose levels preoperatively and that control of blood glucose should start early; otherwise, the aggressive approach mandated by the development of hyperglycemia will increase the incidence of hypoglycemia.

The postoperative changes in the flow velocities and the increases of the resistive and pulsatility index are indications of rigidity of the mesenteric vascular bed and decreased mesenteric perfusion after cardiopulmonary bypass.

While procalcitonin serum concentrations were dependent on aortic clamping time or incisional trauma, interleukin 6 showed no significant relation with these intraoperative variables.

MUF decreases the duration of mechanical ventilatory support, the length of intensive care unit stay, the need for blood transfusion and improves postoperative hemodynamics.