The Perfusion Laboratory is an advanced simulation and practical training unit equipped with the medical devices and systems that students are likely to encounter in clinical practice after graduation. It is designed for training in open-heart surgery and situations requiring artificial respiratory and circulatory support.
What is the Perfusion Laboratory? / What is its Purpose?
Primary Purpose: The primary purpose of the Perfusion Laboratory is to enable students in the Perfusion Program to develop the clinical competence required to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team alongside specialists such as cardiovascular surgeons and anesthesiologists. The laboratory aims to provide students with the skills to prepare and safely operate vital cardiopulmonary support devices used during cardiac surgery and in cases of circulatory and respiratory failure, both preoperatively and during surgical procedures.
Key Features: The laboratory provides students with realistic clinical case scenarios that may be encountered throughout their professional careers, simulating an actual operating room environment under the supervision of a qualified perfusionist. This enables students to reinforce their theoretical knowledge through hands-on practical training.
Devices and Technical Equipment Available in the Laboratory
Key Features: The laboratory infrastructure is equipped with mechanical support systems that assume the patient's vital functions during open-heart surgery, as well as essential operating room equipment:
- Heart-Lung Machine (Cardiopulmonary Bypass Machine): The primary clinical console that temporarily takes over the functions of the heart and lungs during surgery.
- Temperature Control Unit (Hypo/Hyperthermia Unit): A system that precisely regulates the patient's blood temperature during extracorporeal circulation and enables the application of hypothermia or hyperthermia.
- Operating Table: A patient positioning unit used to simulate surgical positions and provide appropriate access for the perfusionist.
- Operating Room Surgical Light: A professional lighting system that provides realistic illumination of the surgical field.
- Extracorporeal Circulation Equipment: Auxiliary consumables and equipment components used for practical training in the management of ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) and ventricular assist devices (VADs).
Research and Application Areas
Academic Contribution: The practical training conducted in the laboratory is designed to simulate the full range of operational and clinical responsibilities that a perfusionist is expected to undertake in clinical practice. The main areas of study and application include:
- Cardiopulmonary Bypass and Extracorporeal Circulation: Monitoring the patient's physiological parameters, blood gas values, blood biochemistry results, and anticoagulation status during extracorporeal circulation.
- Myocardial Protection (Cardioplegia): Performing procedures involving the administration of cardioplegic solutions to protect the heart muscle during open-heart surgery.
- Advanced Filtration Technologies: Performing hemofiltration, ultrafiltration, and apheresis procedures using appropriate technical methods.
- Temperature Regulation: Controlling the patient's body temperature at hypothermic or hyperthermic levels according to the surgical scenario.
- Transfusion and Medical Agent Management: Administering blood and blood products through the extracorporeal circuit and administering medications as deemed necessary by the responsible physicians.
- Specialized Perfusion Techniques: Performing isolated organ and limb perfusion procedures and gaining practical experience in the production of autologous platelet gel.
- Donor Organ Preservation and Transport Support: Assisting in the preservation of donor tissues and organs when required and planning the transport of patients receiving mechanical circulatory support.
Benefits for Students and the Healthcare Sector
- Early Familiarization with the Operating Room Environment: Through realistic equipment and simulated clinical scenarios, students learn to manage the demands of the operating room environment and gain proficiency in the operation and technical aspects of perfusion equipment before graduation.
- Multidisciplinary Working Culture: Students develop the ability to collaborate and consult with the surgical team, from preoperative patient preparation to active participation in postoperative morbidity and mortality meetings.
- Broad Employment Opportunities and Professional Flexibility: Graduates who complete their laboratory training can work in cardiac surgery hospitals and organ transplantation centers in the public and private sectors, pursue technical or clinical specialist positions at biomedical device companies, or continue their careers in academia at universities.
