Posted by Jack Drum on April 30, 2002 at 17:14:00:
I just read this and wondering if any of our new mazers have had this new pump used.
Current Releases:
April 18, 2002New Smaller Heart-Lung Machine Reduces Risk To Patients
Cleveland Clinic First in U.S. to Perform Bypass Surgery with New TechnologyCleveland Clinic doctors are the first in the nation to use a new heart-lung machine designed to cause less trauma to patients undergoing heart surgery. More than 600,000 people in the United States could benefit each year from the technology, which shrinks the traditionally large bypass machine to roughly the size of a breadbox.
Heart-lung bypass machines typically have been used to oxygenate and pump a person’s blood during surgeries when the heart must be stopped. The new CORx System is designed for this purpose as well as for use as a backup circulatory-support system during beating-heart surgeries.
“This is the first technological advance in the heart-lung machine in more than 25 years,” says Delos M. Cosgrove, M.D., chairman of the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at The Cleveland Clinic. “The machine is designed to cause less blood damage and less blood loss, making it a significant advance in cardiac care.”
While conventional heart-lung bypass machines require multiple pieces of hardware and can fill a large portion of the operating room, the CORx System is comprised of a small single unit that pumps blood, oxygenates it and removes air bubbles. A separate, disposable tubing system is used to carry blood to and from the heart.
With traditional cardiopulmonary bypass machines, a significant amount of fluid is used to prime the pump. This priming causes dilution of the blood, which results in poor clotting. With the CORx system, little or no priming is necessary.
Jose Navia, M.D., a staff member in the Clinic’s Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, performed the first patient procedure utilizing the new technology.
“This new machine offers some big benefits for patients, including faster recovery time,” says Dr. Navia, who performed the procedure Wednesday. “We are extremely pleased with the results.”
The CORx System is manufactured by CardioVention Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif., and was approved recently by the federal Food and Drug Administration.
© Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, 4/02