Integral & external cardiotomy reservoirs

 

1.                   External vs Integral

a)                   External

i)                    Can isolate cardiotomy blood from systemic

ii)                   Storage of excess volume

iii)                 Access for concentrating

b)                  Internal

i)                    Can overload antifoam & filters

ii)                   Exposure of venous blood unnecessarily to antifoam

 

2.                   Types & sizes of filters

a)                   Because cardiotomy reservoirs receive blood that contains a large quantity of debris, they contain an integral filter that utilises a combination of both depth & screen type filters

 

 

3.                   Requirements of cardiotomy filter

a)                   Ability to filter foreign material picked up by the cardiac suctions

b)                  Ability to remove great amount of aggregates resulting from the trauma of suctioning (>95% of all haemolysis resulting from CPB occurs in this system)

c)                   Reasonable ease in gravity drainage (low resistance), at relatively high flow rates (1-2 L/min)

 

 

4.                   Function

a)                   Blood from the cardiotomy suckers & vents is initially received into the cardiotomy reservoir

b)                  Serves as a storage area and also filters the large number of solid & gaseous emboli

c)                   Rigid cardiotomy reservoir, usually made of polycarbonate

d)                  Defoamer is a sponge impregnated with a substance that lowers surface tension (comprised of layers of open cell polyurethane foam)

e)                   Filtering may occur via polyester screens. The screens incorporate a filter of between 20-40 mm

f)                    Current trend is to combine both the cardiotomy reservoir & the venous reservoir with the filter positioned at the upper end of the cardiotomy reservoir whereby blood is returned to the circulation by gravity to the venous reservoir


5.                   Ideal cardiotomy features to remove bubbles from aspirated blood:

a)                   Direct injection of blood into defoamer to minimise turbulence

b)                  Ensuring all cardiotomy blood passes through defoamer

c)                   Incorporation of integral micropore filtration

d)                  Avoidance of free fall of defoamed & filtered blood into cardiotomy reservoir with resultant splashing & formation of GME

i)                    Storage of blood in cardiotomy reservoir for as long as possible rather than letting it continuously flow into the venous reservoir will reduce the number of GME

 

 

 

Capiox SX

Maxima Plus

Maxima Forte

Venous filter

Polyester screen type

Pore size 47 mm

NA

NA

Cardiotomy filter

Polyester depth type

Removes ³ 90% of particles with ³ 20 mm diameter

³ 20 mm diameter

95% efficient for particles ³ 20 mm diameter

 

 

1.                   Vents important as are pumping air into system

a)                   danger of overpressurising system leading forced air embolism into system

 

2.                   Connections

a)                   Luer locks