No, it’s not a job where you get paid to concoct wonderful fragrances - despite the deceiving title…
Perfusionists are involved with the intervention of the body’s circulation during surgery. They’re required in any medical procedure that involves any changes to the circulation of blood. The vast majority of their work however, is in cardiac surgery where they operate heart and lung machines to support the patient's circulation whilst the heart is arrested.
During a heart operation, the surgeon will insert canulae (large drips) into the big veins around the heart and the aorta. These are connected to the tubing of a heart/lung bypass machine that drains all the blood out of the body, away from the heart, putting it through an artificial lung and pumping it back into the aorta. The perfusionist makes sure that this procedure works flawlessly. Quite a bit of responsibility!
Interested in this career? Contact the South African Society of Clinical Technologists. In SA you have to do B-Tech degree in Clinical Technology and then specialise in Perfusion.
- Different types of perfusion
- Explore a few pioneers in heart surgery
- Enter this virtual operating theatre and perform a heart transplant in 19 easy steps… (Not for the squeamish)
Here’s a nifty animation showing blood circulation through the human body
