Anesthetic Management During Cardiopulmonary Bypass

The role of the anesthesia provider is critical during the time the patient is on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), a period filled with multiple challenges and unique risks. The challenges include understanding the many pathophysiologic effects of CPB on the human body and devising an appropriate anesthetic plan to help manage and mitigate these effects. Maintaining vigilance during CPB to ensure physiologic homeostasis for the patient is paramount to decreasing complications associated with extracorporeal circulation.