Every patient responds differently to cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and has unique requirements depending on their body composition. One thing that cannot be compromised during CPB is blood flow.
Adequate blood flow during cardiopulmonary bypass is extremely important to maintaining optimal perfusion during surgery and to help prevent post-operative complications such as brain injury. A 2015 study concluded that in conventional CPB, the reason for cerebral desaturation was the failure to achieve the target blood flow rate.[1]