Stoney W S, Alford W C, Burrus G R, Glassford D M, Thomas C S
Ann Thorac Surg. 1980 Apr;29(4):336-40. doi: 10.1016/s0003-4975(10)61481-6.
A surgery of 349 cardiac surgeons showed that during a six-year period, a pump oxygenator accident serious enough to cause patient injury or death occurred one per 1,000 procedures. A total of 264 deaths occurred as a direct results of an accident. Air embolism and disseminated intravascular coagulation were the two most common problems. Low-level alarm systems were reported to be used by 42% of the respondents and activated clotting times were used by 63%. Rigorous use of alarm systems and heparin monitoring could reduce the incidence of pump-related accidents.
