Who is Perfusionist ?

Sometimes cardiovascular surgeons can operate on the heart when it is beating, but often they need to have it still. To maintain blood flow to the body’s tissues during operations when the heart needs to be stopped, surgeons call on perfusion technologists (often referred to as the “pump team”).

Perfusionists are vital members of the cardiovascular surgical team because they are responsible for running the heart-lung (cardiopulmonary bypass) machine. The heart-lung machine diverts blood away from the heart and lungs, adds oxygen to the blood, then returns the blood to the body—all without the blood having to go through the heart. During surgery, perfusionists use the heart-lung machine to maintain blood flow to the body’s tissues and regulate levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood. Perfusionists are also responsible for measuring selected laboratory values (such as blood cell count) and monitoring circulation. Under the direction of the anesthesiologist and surgeon, perfusionists may also administer medicines through the cardiopulmonary bypass circuit.

References :

1. Texas Heart Institute.