Study of Hemolysis due to Intracardiac Suction Device

In the cases of intracardiac surgery using extracorporeal circulation, the incidence of hemolysis due to intracardiac suction has been one of the most serious complications after open heart surgery. Main factors of which are friction of roller pump, suction of air mixed blood and turbulent movement of residual blood in suction circuit. To minimize these undesirable factors, the author has deviced a new system of intracardiac suction, which is controlled with pulsatile negative pressure. The present apparatus bar a cylindrical shape, the size of which is 420 mm in height and 58 mm in diameter, containing reserving chamber, ball valve and discharging chamber. In experimental study, the effects of this pulsatile pressure revealed significant superiority compared with that of continuous or constant negative suction in respect of the sucking and returning the blood to the extracorporeal circuit. Maximal capacity of this suction was 4,000 m? per minute with 30 mmHg negative pressure for 1.2 second in each every 1.8 second. The incidence of hemolysis in this suction was significantly decreased in comparison with the use of roller pump by 62% with and by 33% without air mixing