Perfusion for Congenital Heart Surgery: Notes on Cardiopulmonary Bypass for a Complex Patient Population

The art and science of providing perfusion for patients undergoing surgical correction of congenital heart lesions has advanced rapidly in the last decade. The complex equipment, the unique acid–base management strategies, the specialized perfusion and ultrafiltration techniques, the wide variation in patient age, size, and vulnerability to physiologic trespass, and the wide variety of surgical procedures performed sets perfusion for congenital heart surgery apart from that provided for correction of acquired heart disease in adults. Consequently, provision of cardiopulmonary support for repair of congenital heart lesions has become a distinct specialty.

Perfusion for Congenital Heart Surgery provides an invaluable road map for the pediatric perfusionist and non–perfusionist caring for patients with congenital heart disease in order to confidently devise a plan for a pump run. The easily referenced information and reminders, not currently readily available in any other publication, can be used to influence a bypass plan and form an essential resource for perfusionists, anesthesiologists, intensivists and other clinicians caring for patients with congenital heart disease.

This practical, spiral–bound, go–to reference is designed to answer the most frequently–posed questions about bypass for CHD, the surgical treatment of which is often complicated, with some conditions seen only rarely in  practice. 

Perfusion for Congenital Heart Surgery is written and designed for regular use:
–  Focuses on the latest devices and techniques and provides clear, matter–of–fact guidance on their roles and importance to CHD procedures
–  Written by a seasoned perfusionist who is co–chief and educator at one of the world s leading children s hospitals
–  The spiral binding allows the book to be laid flat for easy referral
–  A Notes section, following the discussion of each CHD lesion, enables readers to add institution and/or surgeon–specific information for later reference

1. Equipment for Bypass

2. Priming the Bypass Circuit

3. The Bypass Plan

4. Typical Phases of Cardiopulmonary Bypass

5. Additional Notes Based on Bypass Tasks

6. Bypass Considerations Based on Diagnosis

7. Notes on Select Issues during Bypass

8. Notes on Select Emergency Procedures during Bypass

9. Brief Overview of Named Procedures and Terms

10. Abbreviations for Congenital Heart Surgery

11. Recommended Reference Books

12. Other References

Gregory S. Matte
Perfusion Clinical Coordinator (Co–Chief)
Boston Children s Hospital
Boston, MA

In addition to coordinating perfusion at Boston Children s, an internationally–recognized children s hospital, Mr. Matte has extensive experience training clinicians and has written extensively in leading journals in the field.