Red Blood Cell Damage and Cardiopulmonary Bypass - Thesis Example

There were fifteen papers that indicated the most appropriate evidence that answered the clinical question under study. The journal, author, patient group, date weaknesses, and country of publication as well as appropriate outcomes were tabulated. It was concluded that there is no significant evidence that showed centrifugal benefit or advantage over a roller pump in coronary bypass grafting based on neurological problems, clinical outcome, or blood loss. A cohort study based on 4000 patients and a large RCT based on 100 patients both considered to be the largest studies indicated a halving in the incidence of the neurological event with the number required in treating 37 and 91.

On the other hand, the other smaller cohort and RCT studies that were assessed never indicated any significant differences either in biochemical or clinical markers. Advances in medical mechanics and functions are designed to not only create ease for the medical practitioners but to improve overall patient health care and that includes their physical, psychological and sociological well-being. Cardiovascular surgery is one of the most common procedures required in medicine today, required by almost half a million people in the United States alone each year.

Currently, cardiac surgery has a relatively low mortality and risk rate thanks to the development of advanced techniques over the past 20 years including advances in biomaterials, manufacturing, computer microsystem technology, and electronics (Jameel, 2009). Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is a technique that takes over the basic functions of the heart and lungs that is oxygenating blood and circulating this freshly oxygenated blood to vital organs and tissue during cardiac surgery. This not only allows the surgical procedure to be performed in a less chaotic and stationary environment, but it reduces the chances for error.

During the procedure, the blood is usually gravity drained or assisted with a vacuum to a reservoir, it is then oxygenated and returned to the patient’s arterial system via a pump.