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[Safety measures of extracorporeal circulation by heart surgeons and perfusionists]
Yasuko Tomizawa1, N Momose, T Matayoshi
1Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Tokyo Women's Medical Univercity, Tokyo, Japan.
Insights
Young heart surgeons in Japan now receive less extracorporeal circulation (ECC) training. A recent training session improved ECC safety education for surgical teams, yielding satisfactory results.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Surgery
- Perfusion Technology
Context:
- Historically, Japanese heart surgeons managed extracorporeal circulation (ECC) systems.
- Specialization of perfusionists has led to reduced ECC education and experience for young surgeons.
- A knowledge gap exists regarding ECC systems among surgeons during critical events.
Purpose:
- To address the declining ECC education for heart surgeons in Japan.
- To enhance the safety of extracorporeal circulation through targeted training.
- To improve the collaborative response to ECC-related incidents.
Summary:
- A training session on ECC operations, accident recovery, and safety devices was conducted for young heart surgeons and perfusionists.
- The training focused on basic ECC procedures and emergency management.
- Thirty teams participated in the on-site training at the 59th annual meeting of the Japanese Association for Thoracic Surgery.
Impact:
- The training aims to prevent life-threatening complications and fatalities due to ECC accidents.
- Improved understanding and preparedness among surgical teams for ECC emergencies.
- Positive feedback received through a post-training questionnaire survey indicates training effectiveness.
Abstract:
In the past, heart surgeons often set up the extracorporeal circulation (ECC) system, primed the circuit, and operated the ECC in Japan. As works of perfusionists recently became specialized, young Japanese heart surgeons seldom receive education on ECC, and rarely operate ECC. ECC accidents are rare, but once it occurs, even a well experienced perfusionist often becomes too upset to think of the next action, while surgeons at the operative table have little knowledge of the ECC system. Reconsideration of ECC education for heart surgeons is still rare. As a medical team, tragedies such as death and life-threatening complication due to an ECC accident are to be prevented at all costs. At an on-site training session for ECC troubles at the 59th annual meeting of Japanese Association for Thoracic Surgery, the basic ECC operations, recovering procedures after an accident, and the use of safety devices were taught to 30 teams of young heart surgeons and perfusionists as a measure to ensure safety of ECC. A questionnaire survey was conducted at the end and satisfactory results were obtained.
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