This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Gourlay, T Articles by Connolly, P Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Gourlay, T Articles by Connolly, P Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Does cardiopulmonary bypass still represent a good investment? The biomaterials perspective

Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, NHLI, Imperial College London, London, UK, t.gourlay{at}imperial.ac.uk

P Connolly

Bioengineering Unit, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK

Cardiopulmonary (CPB) bypass is 50 years old this year, and has undergone considerable change in that time, particularly with regard to developing technology. However, in recent years the routine application of CPB, as the treatment of choice for patients undergoing reparative heart surgery, has been challenged by new, evolving techniques, particularly Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass (OPCAB) and stenting. This paper considers whether CPB still represents a sound investment prospect, with particular emphasis on the biomaterial developments currently taking place. Whilst we accept that routine application of CPB is shrinking under pressure from less invasive techniques, we suggest that this may represent an opportunity to deliever a more highly evolved perfusion to the core of very sick and complex patients who may not be suitable candidates for OPCAB or stenting. These patients will benefit from the application of new technologies currently under development, such as smaller perfusion circuits, improved biomaterial surfaces, smart membranes, and biosensor technology, all aimed at making clinical perfusion a safer and more predictable procedure for the patient. All things conssidered, we feel that CPB, although shrinking in absolute size, still represents a good investment.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				G.-Y. Liang, Q.-Y. Cai, Y.-M. Niu, H. Zheng, Z.-Y. Gao, D.-X. Liu, and G. Xu Cardiac Glucose Uptake and Suppressed Expression/Translocation of Myocardium Glucose Transport-4 in Dogs Undergoing Ischemia-Reperfusion Experimental Biology and Medicine, September 1, 2008; 233(9): 1142 - 1148. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Connolly The potential for biosensors in cardiac surgery Perfusion, July 1, 2004; 19(4): 247 - 249. [Abstract] [PDF]