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A heart-lung machine is a machine that takes over the function of the heart and lungs during surgery. It allows the surgeon to operate on the heart without having to stop the heart from beating. The machine does this by circulating oxygenated blood through the body and removing carbon dioxide from the blood.
The first heart-lung machine was used in 1953, and since then, the machines have been continuously improved. They are now an essential part of cardiac surgery.
If you are scheduled for surgery that will require the use of a heart-lung machine, you may be wondering how the machine works and what the risks are. This article will answer all of your questions and give you everything you need to know about heart-lung machines.
The healthcare department is having many different divisions that works on dedicated specialities like Neurology, Cardiology, Cardiovascular, Gynaecology, Orthopaedic, Ophthalmology and many more. Every speciality focuses on individual organ’s work to observe its actual work and difficulties if any. So according to the speciality, different equipments are used to diagnose, operate of treat the patient. When it comes to cardiovascular diseases, many clinical conditions arise that require an open-heart surgery.
During this surgery, we need cardiac OT equipped with Heart-Lung machine, Heater-cooler device, Defibrillator, External Pacemaker, ACT Machine, Anaesthesia workstation, OT Light, Surgical Headlight, etc. and today we are about to talk on the Heart-Lung machine.
What is Heart-Lung Machine?
The heart-lung machine is an assistance device that used in the cardiac operating room, which replaces the function of human heart and lungs during open-heart surgery. People also called this cardiopulmonary bypass machine, because it replaces the function of normal human heart and lungs. It provides blood circulation and oxygenation during the surgery while the heart is open.
History of Heart-lung machine:
The development of Heart-lung machine is the result of research done for many years.
Research & development of HLM was begun by group of doctors following the demise of patient during heart medical procedure because of inaccessibility of blood dissemination during the system. This inspired for the development of Heart Lung Machine which ended up being a lifesaving clinical innovation that kept up with extracorporeal blood flow.
Today’s HLM is equipped with the latest technology that fulfilled different requirements that reduces the mortality rate during cardiac surgery.
The Function of Heart-Lung Machine
The heart-lung machine is utilized for the vast majority of clinical circumstances connected with the heart where an open-heart medical procedure is required. This machine will supplant the capability of the heart and lungs. The roller pump of HLM works as a heart and it takes the deoxygenated blood from the right atrium of the heart and conveys it to the exceptional repository, named the oxygenator. The oxygen bubbles will add to the RBC and makes the blood oxygen-rich. Then this oxygen-rich blood goes through a filter that eliminates bubbles if formed. This blood will circulate throughout the body through the aorta until a medical procedure is being performed on it. The specialist who works on this machine is called a Perfusionist.
Parts of the Heart-Lung Machine
- Roller Pumps: Pump sends oxygenated blood from machine back to body through aorta.
- Oxygenator: It adds oxygen to the blood; acts as our lungs
- Reservoir container: It contains deoxygenated blood that drains from body.
- Tubing: Different tubing to carry blood from body, to the oxygenator, pump and back to the body.
- Venous cannula & Arterial cannula: To drain deoxygenated blood form body and to send oxygenated blood from the machine, back into the body
- Cardiac Vents and Adjuncts like the bubble detector, level detector, pressure meter of arterial and cardioplegia line, gas flow meter, inserts, Cardiotomy suckers
- Blanket for heater-cooler device
Assistant Device: The Heater-Cooler
During open heart surgery, the heart needs to be stopped for pre-decided long periods of time, without damaging the heart tissue. This is possible by maintaining the temperature of the blood. The Heater-cooler device has tanks that contain fluid (Distilled Water, usually). One cooling/warming blanket is connected with this tank by tubes through closed water circuits. Temperature of the blood will be regulated with use of blanket, as required.
Required hospital staff for the cardiac surgery
- The cardiovascular surgeon
- Assisting surgeons
- Cardiac Anesthesiologist
- Perfusionist
- OT Technician
- Cardiovascular nurses
Heart-lung machine brands used in surgeries
- LivaNova, Inc.
- Getinge AB
- Terumo Corporation
- Medtronic
- Braile Biomédica
- Tianjin Welcome Medical Equipment Co., Ltd.
- Senko Medical Instrument Mfg. Co., Ltd.
- Technowood International Pte. Ltd.
Heater-cooler device brands used in surgeries
- LivaNova, Inc.
- Getinge AB
- Terumo Corporation
- Jostra AB
- Cincinnati Sub-Zero Products, Inc.
Maintenance of Heart-lung machine & Heater-cooler device
Each and every heart-lung machine and heater-cooler device will have specific pre-defined preventive maintenance method according to OEM, that should be followed. Regular preventive maintenance saves time, reduce cost, reduced downtime of the machine and keeps patient safety the on a high priority.
About Perfusionist, the one who operates Heart-lung machine
Perfusionist is the person responsible to assist surgeons by maintaining the circulation of oxygenated blood throughout the body and the heart-lung machine. The salary for this profession in India may range from initial level to experienced one, in between 4.2L to 22L per annum. One can choose this as career after completing class 12, by choosing B.Sc in cardiac Perfusion Technology and can serve the mankind by contributing with responsible job.
Conclusion
The heart-lung machine is a life-saving apparatus that does the work of both the heart and lungs during surgery. This machine is essential for open-heart surgery and works by oxygenating the body’s venous supply of blood and then pumps it back into the arterial system. The heart-lung machine also provides intracardiac suction, filtration, and temperature control.
FAQs
What is a heart-lung machine?
A heart-lung machine is a machine that takes over the function of the heart and lungs during surgery. It allows the surgeon to operate on the heart without having to stop the heart from beating.
What is the history of the Heart-lung machine?
The history of the heart-lung machine is the result of research done for many years. Research & development of HLM was begun by group of doctors following the demise of patient during heart medical procedure because of inaccessibility of blood dissemination during the system.
What are the primary reasons why a heart-lung machine is utilized?
The primary reason why a heart-lung machine is utilized is due to the limitations that the human heart and lungs possess. By utilizing the machine, clinicians are able to bypass the limitations of the human heart and lungs and provide the patient with the best possible outcomes.
What is the roller pump of the heart-lung machine?
The roller pump of HLM is a component of the heart-lung machine. It takes deoxygenated blood from the right atrium of the heart and conveys it to the exceptional repository, named the oxygenator. The oxygen bubbles will add to the RBC and makes the blood oxygen-rich. Then this oxygen-rich blood goes through a filter that eliminates bubbles if formed. This blood will circulate throughout the body through the aorta until a medical procedure is being performed on it. The specialist who works on this machine is called a Perfusionist.
What is the Heater-Cooler device used for?
The Heater-Cooler device is a machine used during open heart surgery that helps to maintain the temperature of the blood.
Can I use a blanket during cardiac surgery?
Yes, a cooling/warming blanket is connected with this tank by tubes through closed water circuits. Temperature of the blood will be regulated with use of the blanket, as required. Hospital staff for the cardiac surgery include the cardiovascular surgeon, assisting surgeons, cardiac anesthesiologist, perfusionist, OT technician, cardiovascular nurses, heart-lung machine brands used in surgeries, and heater-cooler device brands used in surgeries.
What is the regular preventive maintenance for heart-lung machines and heater-coolers devices?
Each and every heart-lung machine and heater-cooler device will have specific pre-defined preventive maintenance method according to OEM, that should be followed. Regular preventive maintenance saves time, reduce cost, reduced downtime of the machine and keeps patient safety the on a high priority.
Who is is a perfusionist?
A cardiovascular perfusionist, clinical perfusionist or perfusiologist, and occasionally a cardiopulmonary bypass doctor or clinical perfusion scientist, is a healthcare professional who operates the cardiopulmonary bypass machine (heart–lung machine) during cardiac surgery and other surgeries that require cardiopulmonary bypass to manage the patient's physiological status. As a member of the cardiovascular surgical team, the perfusionist also known as the clinical perfusionist helps maintain blood flow to the body's tissues as well as regulate levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood, using a heart–lung machine.
