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
Which parameter is most commonly used to assess oxygenator gas transfer efficiency during cardiopulmonary bypass?
Answer: Arterial oxygen saturation and PaO2
Arterial oxygen saturation and PaO2 directly reflect the oxygenator's ability to transfer oxygen into the blood.
During CPB, a sudden increase in oxygenator inlet-to-outlet pressure gradient with no change in flow rate most likely indicates:
Answer: Oxygenator fiber bundle clotting or thrombosis
Progressive clotting within the hollow-fiber bundle increases resistance and raises the transmembrane pressure gradient.
What is the primary function of the heat exchanger integrated within a modern membrane oxygenator?
Answer: Regulating patient blood temperature during bypass
The heat exchanger uses countercurrent water flow to warm or cool blood to achieve target patient temperature.
A perfusionist notices plasma breakthrough (wet gas side) on a hollow-fiber oxygenator 4 hours into a complex case. The BEST immediate action is:
Answer: Prepare to change the oxygenator emergently
Plasma breakthrough compromises gas exchange and risks contamination; the oxygenator must be replaced as soon as safely possible.
Which design feature of microporous polypropylene hollow fibers makes them susceptible to plasma leakage over time?
Answer: Open pores that can be wetted by plasma proteins under prolonged exposure
Plasma proteins gradually wet microporous polypropylene walls, allowing liquid plasma to permeate from blood to gas side.
When priming a membrane oxygenator, air removal is best confirmed by:
Answer: Measuring arterial line PO2 after recirculation
Circulating prime and sampling the arterial line for dissolved oxygen confirms adequate de-airing of the fiber bundle.
Polymethylpentene (PMP) oxygenators differ from polypropylene oxygenators primarily because PMP fibers are:
Answer: True membranes with no open pores, preventing plasma leakage
PMP fibers are diffusion membranes without open pores, eliminating plasma breakthrough and enabling longer safe use.