Oxygenator & Pump Maintenance 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 Oxygenator & Pump Maintenance flashcards as text
A centrifugal pump displays 4,000 RPM but an inline flow probe reads near zero. The MOST likely cause is:
Answer: Massive arterial line obstruction or pump head thrombosis preventing forward flow
High RPM with no flow indicates the pump is spinning against a closed or severely obstructed system, or the pump head has clotted and locked.
Which pre-bypass oxygenator check confirms adequate heat exchanger water circuit integrity?
Answer: Confirming water circuit connections are leak-free and heater-cooler is circulating at target temperature
Inspecting water-side connections and confirming heater-cooler circulation prevents thermal failure and water contamination of the blood circuit.
The purpose of a 'recirculation bridge' in a CPB circuit is to:
Answer: Enable pump flow recirculation during priming and de-airing before cannulation
The recirculation bridge allows the perfusionist to circulate prime through the entire circuit to de-air and equilibrate temperatures before going on bypass.
Oxygenator fiber surface area is MOST directly related to the device's:
Answer: Maximum rated blood flow and gas exchange capacity
Greater fiber surface area provides more membrane for gas diffusion, directly determining the oxygenator's maximum flow rating and transfer efficiency.
During maintenance of a roller pump between cases, the raceway tubing should be inspected for:
Answer: Cracks, flattening, deformation, or surface roughness indicating wear and spallation risk
Physical inspection for deformation, cracking, and surface roughness ensures structural integrity and minimizes particulate embolism risk.
In a closed (bladder) venous reservoir system, the primary advantage over an open hard-shell reservoir is:
Answer: Automatic preload regulation by bladder collapse, reducing risk of pumping air on low venous return
When venous return decreases, the collapsible bladder collapses and triggers a sensor to reduce pump speed, preventing air aspiration into the arterial circuit.
After cardiopulmonary bypass, the oxygenator and circuit should be retained for a minimum period of time in case of post-operative complications. This standard practice retention period is typically:
Answer: 24 hours
Most institutions retain the oxygenator and circuit for at least 24 hours post-bypass to allow circuit-prime blood transfusion and investigation of any immediate postoperative issues.