What is extracorporeal circulation?
Extracorporeal Circulation is a medical procedure where blood is pumped from the body, cleaned or treated and pumped back. In this way, medical means are used as another circulation outside the body. Such actions are usually performed due to kidney failure, immune system disorders and heart failure. Circulation can be continuous, as in dialysis or interrupted, where the blood is discarded, treated and then inserted back. Hemodialysis is an extracorporeal treatment of circulation aimed at removing waste from the blood. The waste usually takes the form of creatinine, urea or free water. Hemodialysis can take place at home, but is more likely to be carried out at a clinic or hospital. It uses hydrostatic pressure to force blood against semipermeable membrane, waste passes through the membrane and is separated, the blood continues and back to the point.
Hemofiltration is used in intensive care situation and it is a slow, long and continuous process that lasts 12 to 24 hours. The procedure should be performed once a day. HaemofiltrationIt is otherwise the same as hemodialysis.
Aferhesis is an extracorporeal treatment of circulation, where one element is removed from the blood, is treated or destroyed and the rest of the blood is returned to the body. Plasmapheresis is a place where blood and plasma are removed by injection or catheter and then separated by centrifugal force. The blood is inserted back into the body and plasma treated. The procedure is used to treat immune system disorders such as lupus.
Oxygenation of extracorporeal membranes (ECMO) is a method of extracorporeal circulation used to offer relief to damaged hearts and lungs. Blood is taken from a vein or artery and treated with an anticoagulant. Then the diaphragm, which replicates the function of the lungs and converts carbon dioxide into oxygen. Once oxygenated, blood passes back into the body. There are two types of ECMO: one that draws blood back into the vein and the other that pumps it back into the artery.
Cardiopulmonal bypass withused only during heart surgery. This extracorporeal circulation technique allows surgeons to work on a tripod. It is difficult for doctors to perform accurate cuts and open the heart chambers while still beating. This technique was first performed by Dr. Clarence Dennis of Minnesota in 1951. It uses a mechanical cardiac machine for drawing blood from the body, oxygenation and pumping it again.