Cardiac Perfusion Technology
About
The Cardio- Thoracic surgeon needs to work on a Stopped Heart for certain surgeries and it is necessary to temporarily replace the patient's heart and lung function. It is the responsibility of the perfusionist (A candidate completing the B. Sc (Cardio Perfusion care Technology Course), a specialized healthcare professional, to assume the function of the heart and/or lungs during these surgical procedures.
A perfusionist operates a heart-lung machine, which is an artificial blood pump, which propels oxygenated blood to the patient's tissues while the surgeon operates on the heart. The perfusionist manages the physiological and metabolic demands of the patient while the cardiac surgeon operates on the heart. It is also the perfusionist's responsibility to deliver the drug that stops the heart.
A perfusionist generally spends 90% of his or her time in the operation theatre for cardiac cases, but the responsibilities extending to the areas such as cardiovascular intensive care unit and catheterization laboratory.