One of the major medical technological breakthroughs in the last 50 years is the development of heart-Lung Machine. This was devised to maintain the human body in living condition, even when the heart and lungs are not functioning. The removal of carbon dioxide from and addition of oxygen to the blood takes place through it. This enables the surgeon to make necessary cardiac repairs. A perfusionist is a skilled allied health professional. Trained and educated specially as a member of an open – heart surgical team, responsible for the selection, setup and operation of a Heart-Lung Machine and other life support system like IABP, LVAD, RVAD & ECMO.
