Define Perfusion

Perfusion is the process by which a patient's blood is passed through machines and artificially pumped back into body tissues during surgeries when the heart or other body organs are not functioning.

Etymology

• Perfusion originates from the Latin word "perfundere." The prefix "per" means "through," while the meaning of "fundere" is "to pour."

Cell Salvage

• Specialists offer a variety of cardiovascular services related to perfusion, including cell salvage, a procedure used during blood transfusions and cardiopulmonary, or open heart, bypass surgeries.

Extra-Corporeal Circulation

• Extra-corporeal circulation, or ECC, is another term used to describe the perfusion process. The phrase encompasses any activity requiring your blood to be artificially circulated outside of your body.

Specialists

• Perfusionists are medical professionals specifically trained to assist during open heart surgeries. They are responsible for operating and monitoring the heart-lung machines used to oxygenate and return a patient's blood during the surgical procedure and must be proficient in chemistry, physics, anatomy, physiology and electronics.

Considerations

• Perfusion procedures are commonly used during organ transplant surgeries and in patients suffering heart attacks or heart failure, smoker's lung or coronary artery disease.