CPB Circuit Assembly & Priming Flashcards
7 cards from real CCP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 CPB Circuit Assembly & Priming flashcards as text
Which centrifugal pump characteristic distinguishes it from a roller pump during CPB?
Answer: Its flow is non-occlusive and afterload-dependent
Centrifugal pumps are afterload-sensitive and will reduce flow if arterial resistance increases, unlike roller pumps which deliver a set volume per revolution.
The standard pore size of an arterial line filter used in CPB circuits is:
Answer: 40 microns
Most arterial line filters use a 40-micron screen to capture clinically significant gaseous and particulate microemboli while maintaining adequate flow.
During CPB priming, adding mannitol (0.5 g/kg) to the prime solution is intended primarily to:
Answer: Promote osmotic diuresis and reduce cerebral edema
Mannitol acts as an osmotic diuretic during CPB and may help reduce cellular swelling and free radical scavenging in ischemic tissues.
A 'soft-shell' venous reservoir differs from a 'hard-shell' reservoir in that it:
Answer: Collapses as volume decreases, preventing air aspiration by the pump
Soft-shell (collapsible) reservoirs collapse when volume is low, providing a visual warning and preventing the pump from aspirating air.
Which complication is most directly associated with roller pump tubing that is set too occlusively?
Answer: Excessive hemolysis and red blood cell destruction
Excessive roller pump occlusion increases shear stress on red blood cells as they pass through the compressed tubing segment, causing hemolysis.
What is the recommended method to check roller pump occlusion before initiating CPB?
Answer: Clamp the outlet tubing and observe the rate of retrograde fluid drop in a elevated segment
The standard occlusion test involves clamping the outlet, elevating a tubing segment, and verifying the fluid falls no more than 1 cm/min, indicating appropriate but not excessive occlusion.
During circuit priming, calcium chloride is sometimes added LAST because:
Answer: It can precipitate with phosphate- or bicarbonate-containing solutions if mixed prematurely
Calcium salts can form insoluble precipitates with phosphate or bicarbonate; adding calcium last after other additives are mixed prevents this chemical incompatibility.