Cardiopulmonary bypass is a widely used technique in open heart surgery, such as valve replacement, transplantation or revascularization of the heart muscle, since it replaces the work of the heart and lungs, so the doctor can perform the surgery without worry about blood circulation. .
In addition, this technique also prevents blood from passing through the lungs, reducing the risk of pulmonary embolism, as there is no risk of cardiac trauma that causes clots that will eventually be transported to the lungs.
- Cardiopulmonary bypass is performed by a set of machines that attempt to replace and mimic the functioning of the bloodstream in the body.
- So it is a technique that includes several steps and components:.
Throughout the process, there are several pumps that help blood flow, so it doesn’t stop and increases the risk of clots.
Although it is a widely used technique, relatively simple and with many benefits for heart surgery, cardiopulmonary bypass can lead to some complications, one of the most common is the development of systemic inflammation, in which the body reacts with blood cells to fight a disease. In fact, blood comes into contact with unnatural surfaces within the machine, which ends up destroying many of the blood cells and causing the inflammatory response in the body.
In addition, due to changes in speed and temperature that blood can pass through the device, this also increases the risk of clots and, therefore, after this type of surgery, it is very important to be aware of the appearance of embolisms in the lung or even stroke. However, as after surgery, you should remain in the ICU, usually all vital signs are monitored to avoid such complications.