Karin, my wife has been a Perfusionist for more than 30 years. She, along with other perfusionists, are largely unknown to most of us. They are a small group of specialists that operate the Heart / Lung machine during open heart procedures and other surgical procedures that require the heart to be stopped to perform certain cardiac operations. She is responsible to take the blood from the body thru the machine at her lower right (image); pump the blood thru an oxygenator, maintain blood chemistry, pressures and gasses and return it to the body to keep the patient viable.
She is also responsible for the initiation of the Ventricular Support devices (artificial heart) and other cardiac life support systems in use for the critically ill hearts. Another one of her responsibilities is a life saving procedure known as ECMO (Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation). This has been a long used life saving procedure for Neonatal and very young babies whose lungs have been compromised for various issues and anomalies. Over the last few years, this method of treatment has been used with some success on adults with severely compromised lungs. IN CERTAIN COVID-19 cases, this will be the last line of defense. The blood will be taken from the right heart circulation.....(lungs).......pumped thru an oxygenator (takes the place of the lungs) where it is oxygenated and returned to the body. This effort, along with other protocols to treat the virus give CERTAIN patients with an opportunity to have a successful outcome. She has not been called on the do this for Covid-19 yet. In most cases, her services will not be needed. If she is called on to perform these procedures on Covid-19 patients...........she will be the last line of defense, along with all the medical staff involved in critically ill patient care. She is my hero........and the woman to help my aging body place 4 speed transmissions in my x-frames!! - Love my lady!!!
She is also responsible for the initiation of the Ventricular Support devices (artificial heart) and other cardiac life support systems in use for the critically ill hearts. Another one of her responsibilities is a life saving procedure known as ECMO (Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation). This has been a long used life saving procedure for Neonatal and very young babies whose lungs have been compromised for various issues and anomalies. Over the last few years, this method of treatment has been used with some success on adults with severely compromised lungs. IN CERTAIN COVID-19 cases, this will be the last line of defense. The blood will be taken from the right heart circulation.....(lungs).......pumped thru an oxygenator (takes the place of the lungs) where it is oxygenated and returned to the body. This effort, along with other protocols to treat the virus give CERTAIN patients with an opportunity to have a successful outcome. She has not been called on the do this for Covid-19 yet. In most cases, her services will not be needed. If she is called on to perform these procedures on Covid-19 patients...........she will be the last line of defense, along with all the medical staff involved in critically ill patient care. She is my hero........and the woman to help my aging body place 4 speed transmissions in my x-frames!! - Love my lady!!!
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, Karin.
