Perfusion articles that sharpen clinical judgment

Browse all articles

• Air Embolism During Cardiopulmonary Bypass

  A practical review of microemboli, massive air, detection, prevention, and the emergency response sequence perfusion teams need to rehearse.

• Heparin Resistance On Bypass

  A practical review of the problem behind the low ACT: when to think of true heparin resistance, what confuses the picture, and how to keep the response structured.

• Centrifugal Versus Roller Pump

  A practical evidence-facing comparison of two very different support philosophies: what each pump gives you, what each can hurt you with, and why circuit context matters more than tribal preference.

• Soft-Shell Versus Hard-Shell Reservoirs

  A straightforward comparison of open versus more closed reservoir strategy: air-blood interface, volume buffering, suction convenience, and what the choice demands from the rest of the circuit.

• Understanding Target Bypass Flow

  A practical way to think about target flow, cardiac index, and why bypass flow is a clinical decision rather than a number copied from habit.

• Cross-Clamp And Cardioplegia Orientation

  A learner-friendly overview of the clamp phase, myocardial protection goals, and what the perfusionist should be watching during cardioplegia delivery.

• Using CPD As A Learning Loop

  A practical way to use CPD records to spot patterns in your training and guide what to study or practise next.

• Initiating Bypass Safely

  A practical framework for the first transition onto CPB: preconditions, team communication, early warning signs, and the checks that stop a rushed start from becoming a dangerous one.

• Coming Off Bypass: A Structured Weaning Framework

  A practical guide to separation from CPB: the pre-wean checklist, what to watch as support comes down, and how to diagnose failure to wean without pushing through a bad first attempt.

• Low Reservoir Level On Bypass

  A practical guide to one of the most important warning signs on CPB: what falling volume means, why it becomes more dangerous with negative venous pressure, and what to do immediately.

• Oxygenator Failure And Emergency Changeout

  A high-acuity, low-frequency topic every perfusion team should rehearse: when to suspect true oxygenator failure, how to stabilise the situation, and why written changeout protocols matter.

• Cardioplegia Delivery Problems

  A practical guide to one of the most misunderstood myocardial-protection issues: when pressure, flow, route, and operative context no longer fit together and delivery may not mean protection.

• TGA Device Reporting And Supply Readiness

  What Australian perfusion, theatre, ICU, and procurement teams should do now as the TGA expands mandatory medical-device adverse-event reporting and device supply-disruption response.

• Failure To Rewarm On Bypass

  A practical assessment and strategy guide for the patient who is not warming as expected on cardiopulmonary bypass: measurement, heater-cooler troubleshooting, patient factors, safety limits, and team decisions.