Introducing a method for safe air evacuation from oxygenator in cardiac surgery operating rooms during COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Covid-19 pandemic provides new perspectives and possibly permanent changes in some existing guidelines and safety principles. Evacuated air from the exhaust reservoir and oxygenator, after close contact with the patient's blood added contaminated secretions, drain into the operating room, a potential source for contamination. There are two air exhaust ways from the oxygenator in cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuit; which might be the potential carrier of the Covid-19 virus and resulting contamination. In the current design, these two exhausts are connected to one antibacterial and antiviral filter and then they will attach to the ventilator's exhaust port with a three-way connector, in such a way that the contaminated air will be vented outside the operating room. It is recommended to use antibacterial and antiviral filters in the passage way of the contaminated air coming from Reservoir and Oxygenator exhaust, to be directly guided outside the operating room. In this article, this design is fully described. © Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Anesthesiology Research Center.