Devices used to prevent inadvertent emptying of the venous reservoir 1

Over pressure and air detector systems in blood lines. 1

Value of oxygen concentration meters in gas lines. 2

Necessary equipment required to maintain CPB during a power failure. 3

Value of high temperature warning, flow meters & pressure shut down systems in water supply systems: 3

Methods used to prevent foreign bodies entering the pump heads. 4

Protocols of safety to prevent the reverse rotation of roller pumps used as intracardiac suckers. 4

Validity of line pressure monitoring. 4

Pressure gradients on CPB.. 5

Temperature gradients on CPB.. 5

 

Devices used to prevent inadvertent emptying of the venous reservoir

1.                  Low level alarms systems

a)                  Can emit an alarm &/or turn off main pump automatically

b)                  Reflectance

i)                    Photoelectric [visible light]

ii)                  Infrared

a)                  not reliable

c)                  Capacitance

i)                    reliable

d)                  Ultrasonic

e)                  Reservoir weight

i)                    Detects decreasing weight in reservoir 2° decreasing reservoir blood volume

ii)                  Servoregulated to pump head:

a)                  Reduced volume results in decreased pump flow rate

iii)                 Use for soft shell?

 

2.                  Mechanical devices

a)                  In line ball valve

i)                    Invasive device

ii)                  Placed before pump head

iii)                 If reservoir empties, ball drops and occludes tubing thereby preventing emptying of reservoir

iv)                As pumping still continuous

a)                  vacuum + cavitation

v)                  Does not work with centrifugal pumps

b)                  Centrifugal pump head

c)                  Soft shell reservoir

 

Over pressure and air detector systems in blood lines

1.                  Air detectors

a)                  Sensor clamps onto the arterial tubing

i)                    Infrared signal

ii)                  Ultrasound

b)                  Detects bubbles > 0.5—1.0 cc in size

c)                  Automatically turns off pump + alarm

d)                  Unable to detect foam (microbubbles)

 

2.                  Overpressure monitors

a)                  Arterial line pressure

i)                    Monitored continuously to detect:

a)                  Obstruction to arterial line

b)                  malposition of arterial cannula

c)                  Dissection

d)                  Obstruction of filter

ii)                  Pressure must be interpreted in context of:

a)                  Expected pressure drop across the arterial cannula

b)                  Flow rates

c)                  Patient’s MAP

iii)                 Useful guide to:

a)                  Proper insertion of cannula prior to CPB

b)                  Aortic BP after CPB (with inaccurate radial BP)

b)                  Preoxygenator pressure

i)                    Monitor resistance to flow (pressure drop) within oxygenator

a)                  Thrombosis of oxygenator

b)                  Design faults of oxygenator

c)                  Cardioplegia pressure

i)                    Aid in cardioplegia delivery

a)                  Adequacy of delivery

b)                  Technical problem solving

ii)                Prevents overpressurising coronary system with subsequent trauma

 

Value of oxygen concentration meters in gas lines

1.                  Monitor % of oxygen entering oxygenator

2.                  Confirms oxygen content within gas line

3.                  Setting a low level limit alerts for scenarios of oxygen gas failure:

a)                  Mains supply

b)                  ? Blender

c)                  Vaporiser fault

i)                    Not correctly positioned on pins

d)                  Gas tubing break in integrity

i)                    Should be positioned as close to oxygenator as possible

4.                  Does not indicate adequacy of gas flow

a)                 Could theoretically indicate 100% with no gas flowing due to static presence of pure oxygen in gas delivery tubing

 

Necessary equipment required to maintain CPB during a power failure

1.                  Primary

a)                  Battery power supply

b)                  Handcrank

i)                    Easily accessible; stored on CPB machine

ii)                  Important to consider direction of rotation to prevent accidental rotation of flow

a)                  Ratcheted designs obviate risk of reverse rotation

 

c)                  Battery operated light source

i)                    To observe venous reservoir level

ii)                  To observe colour of blood

2.                  Secondary

a)                  Monitoring of adequacy of perfusion

i)                    SvO2

3.                  Gas supply

a)                  Air generators may go down

i)                  Connect O2 gas line bypassing blender direct to O2 outlet

 

Value of high temperature warning, flow meters & pressure shut down systems in water supply systems:

1.                  High temperature warning

a)                  Determines overheating in water supply

i)                    > 42°C

ii)                  Damages blood

b)                  Connected to heater cut-off

c)                  Indicates problem:

i)                    Thermostat

ii)                  Hot returning water

a)                  Partial blockage in heat exchanger with subsequent shunting

(1)               Blanket

Oxygenator

2.                  Flow meters

a)                  Can be a mechanical spinning device or actually indicated on a meter

b)                  Indicates adequacy of flow

c)                  Inadequate flows:

i)                    Partial or complete blockage in heat exchanger

a)                  Blanket

b)                  Oxygenator

ii)                  Obstructed tubing

a)                  Taps

b)                  Kinks

3.                  Pressure shutdown systems

a)                  Determines excessive pressures within water circuitry

b)                  Excessive pressures may impair integrity of heat exchanger componentry within oxygenator thereby allowing water to enter blood

i)                    Sepsis

ii)                Haemolysis

 

Methods used to prevent foreign bodies entering the pump heads

Pump covers

·       Physically prevent foreign objects entering pump head

·      Pump can only be operated if cover is correctly positioned

 

Protocols of safety to prevent the reverse rotation of roller pumps used as intracardiac suckers

1.                  One way valves

a)                  Designed to prevent air from being pumped through a suction or vent line in the wrong direction if either the pump is operated in the reverse direction or the tubing is loaded into the pump head incorrectly at assembly

2.                  Clear marking of direction of flow on pump head

3.                  Complexity of reversing pump head rotation

a)                  Several stage procedure

b)                  Several buttons must be simultaneously pressed

4.                  Perfusionist check list

5.                 Surgeon checks function of vent prior to usage

 

Validity of line pressure monitoring

1.                  These in-line pressures provide information about the function of the components in the perfusion circuit

2.                  Monitor & display mean pressures only

3.                  Operating range of 0—500 mmHg

4.                  Pressure must be interpreted in context of:

a)                  Expected pressure drop across

i)                    arterial cannula

ii)                  oxygenator

iii)                 coronary plegia cannulae

b)                  Flow rates

c)                  Patient’s MAP; aortic root; ostia; sinus

d)                  Length of tubing

e)                  Diameter of tubing

f)                   Viscosity of blood

 

Pressure gradients on CPB

In-line pressure gradients

 

Locations for line pressure monitoring

Typical pressure gradient mmHg

Excessive pressure gradients

Proximal to membrane oxygenator

100-200

Inadequate anticoagulation

Manufacturing defect

Proximal to arterial filter

30

Inadequate anticoagulation

Proximal to arterial cannula

50

Undersized

Kink

Dissection

Tip against artery wall

Proximal to plegic cannula

 

Kink

Tip against artery wall [ostia]

 

Temperature gradients on CPB

1.                  Temperature gradients between various parts of the patient body

a)                  Monitor in several different sites

2.                  Blood overheating

a)                  > 42°C: blood cellular & plasma protein damage

b)                  > 37°C: enters brain, exacerbates ischaemic brain injury

3.                  Rewarming times dependent on:

a)                  Heat exchange between water & blood

i)                    Performance of heat exchanger

ii)                  Performance of heater/cooler unit

b)                  Heat exchange between blood & tissues

i)                    Increased times to rewarm:

a)                  High SVR with shunting of blood away from tissues

b)                  Prolonged hypothermia

c)                  Temperature differential between blood & water

i)                    > 10°C associated with GME as O2 reduces in solubility

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