Original Article

Clinical Evaluation of the Sarns 7800 LX Modular Centrifugal Pump

Providence Medical Center, Portland, OR

^* Address correspondence to: Charles F. Jerabek, Department of Surgery, Providence Medical Center, 4805 N. E. Glisan, Portland, OR 97213

Abstract

The Sarns 7800 LX Modular Centrifugal Pump is a second generation centrifugal pump using new Doppler technology for the measurement of flow. The in vitro portion of this evaluation compared the Sarns flowmeter and the Biomedicus electromagnetic flow probe to a known occlusive roller pump output under various pressure, temperature and hemoglobin levels encountered during routine cardiac surgery. No statistically significant (p>.05) difference was found when comparing either flowmeter with the roller pump, but the Bio-Medicus probe exhibited a positive correlation (p=.026) between increased temperature and the absolute value of roller pump output minus Biomedicus flow probe display. The in vivo portion of this study compared the Sarns centrifugal system to our current patient database in the areas of blood usage, overall mortality and morbidity, and D.I.C. panel test values. The Sarns was equal or superior in all areas recorded. Plasma free hemoglobin levels run one half hour post bypass averaged 56.3mg/dl with a range of 11-144. The new Sarns system was convenient to operate, interfaced easily with an IBM computer system and presented no problems during the evaluation.