“First, do no harm.”
New collaboration launches at The Prince Charles Hospital to improve cardiac surgery safety
After more than two years of planning, a multidisciplinary team led by CCRG has begun collecting samples from perfusion circuits before patients are placed on cardiopulmonary bypass.
The collaboration brings together experts from The Prince Charles Hospital's (TPCH) Anaesthetics, Cardiac Surgery, and Perfusion teams, who with CCRG, will investigate the levels of plastic chemical particles that may be released from cardiopulmonary bypass circuits and assess how effectively these substances can be flushed from the system before a patient is connected.
Cardiopulmonary bypass provides temporary heart and lung support during cardiac surgeries such as heart transplantation, allowing surgeons to safely stop the heart while maintaining blood flow and oxygen delivery to the body. By developing new strategies which reduce the amount of plastic chemicals and particles that enter patients bloodstreams during surgery, the research aims to generate evidence that could inform future clinical practice and further enhance the safety of cardiac surgery.
CCRG Director, Prof John Fraser AO said "In this modern world, one of the most ubiquitous artificial substances are plastics. Their longevity and omnipresence are such that sadly, plastics and the toxins which coat them have been found in what should be our safest place in our lives - our mother’s womb." Continue reading via LinkedIn.
The project reflects our commitment to leading and supporting collaborative research that translates directly into better patient care, with specialists across multiple disciplines working together to answer important questions that have the potential to improve outcomes for patients both in Australia and around the world.
With DonateLife Week (26 July to 2 August) just around the corner, it's a timely reminder that improving outcomes for heart transplant recipients depends not only on the incredible generosity of organ donors and their families, but also on continually advancing the care patients receive throughout their surgical journey.
Our sincere thanks to the extended research collaborative including, Ivan Rupchuk, Trevor Fayers, Ross Haslam, Kieran Seddon and teams for their enthusiasm and commitment that has made this project possible. And to Cassandra Rauert, Kevin Thomas and Xianyu Wang – the polymer chemists who will conduct the analysis at the Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS) at The University of Queensland.
Pictured: Dr Kieran Seddon (TPCH Perfusionist, Anaesthetics), Dr Adrian Goldsworthy (CCRG Research Fellow) and Madalyn Hodgetts (TPCH Perfusionist, Anaesthetics)