Original Article

Pre-Assembled Cardiopulmonary Bypass Circuits – An Innovative Utilization of Evolving Technology

University of Mississippi Medical Center, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Jackson, Mississippi

^* Address correspondence to: Pat Courtney, Jr., University of Mississippi Medical Center, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, 2500 N. State Street, Jackson, Mississippi 39216

Abstract

With the recent Federal Drug Administration approval of preassembled circuits for percutaneous bypass, a new era of safety, cost effectiveness and time management has become possible.

By utilizing this new technology in a traditional heart/lung circuit, it is now possible to have a cardiopulmonary bypass circuit available for preset up that meets long term sterility requirements, reduces the opportunity of contamination, addresses the situation of cancelled procedures, and allows for the heart/lung machine to be “ready” more expeditiously.

All of this is achieved with a cost factor of less than the individual components of a bypass circuit.