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Oxygenator & Pump Maintenance Flashcards

7 cards from real CCP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

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  1. The sweep gas CO2 removal rate in a membrane oxygenator is PRIMARILY controlled by:

    Answer: Total sweep gas flow rate (L/min)

    CO2 is highly diffusible, so its elimination is governed by sweep gas flow rate (the ventilation analog during CPB).

  2. Which monitoring value BEST reflects oxygenator CO2 transfer performance during cardiopulmonary bypass?

    Answer: PaCO2 from arterial blood gas sampling

    PaCO2 directly measures how effectively CO2 is being removed from arterial blood exiting the oxygenator.

  3. When changing a failed oxygenator during active CPB, which step is MOST critical for patient safety?

    Answer: Ensuring the replacement oxygenator is fully de-aired before resuming flow

    Air remaining in a replacement oxygenator can cause massive systemic air embolism when flow is restored.

  4. The venous reservoir hard-shell design differs from a soft-shell venous reservoir primarily in that it:

    Answer: Maintains negative pressure capability and acts as an open system with integrated level monitoring

    Hard-shell reservoirs are open-vented rigid chambers with built-in level indicators and can accept cardiotomy suction; soft-shell reservoirs collapse under negative pressure.

  5. Arterial line filters are primarily designed to remove:

    Answer: Microemboli including air, fat, and particulate matter from the arterial circuit

    Arterial line filters (typically 20–40 µm) trap microemboli to protect the patient from cerebral and systemic embolization.

  6. During prolonged bypass, which oxygenator parameter trend should prompt the perfusionist to consider device replacement?

    Answer: Gradually rising sweep gas FiO2 requirement to maintain target PaO2

    A progressively increasing FiO2 demand to maintain adequate oxygenation signals declining gas-exchange efficiency, indicating oxygenator failure.

  7. Heat exchanger water temperature during CPB should never exceed blood temperature by more than a recommended maximum of:

    Answer: 14°C

    Most guidelines limit the water-to-blood temperature gradient to ≤10–14°C to prevent gas coming out of solution and causing microemboli.