A Perfusionist, also known as a clinical Perfusionist or a Cardio Vascular Perfusionist, is a specialized healthcare professional who uses the Heart- Lung machine during Cardiac Surgery and other Surgeries that require Cardio Pulmonary Bypass to manage the patient’s physiological status.
The Perfusionist is responsible for the management of circulatory and respiratory functions of the patient which has a great effect on the patient systemic condition and allows the cardiac surgeon to focus on the actual surgical procedure and less on the immediate needs of the patient. Other responsibilities include autologous blood collection and processing, implementation and management of the intra-aortic balloon pump, and management of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, as well as monitoring of anticoagulation, electrolyte, acid-base balance and blood-gas composition.
Medical laboratory technicians assist physicians in