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Pumps designed for extracorporeal gas exchange and reinfusion of blood, typically during heart-lung bypass procedures. These pumps (known as extracorporeal perfusion or arterial pumps) consist of either a mechanism that uses centrifugal force (i.e., centrifugal pump) or rollers that cyclically compress the arterial line tubing (i.e., roller pumps). Extracorporeal perfusion pumps typically receive blood from the vena cava and deliver it back through the aorta by means of a plastic cannula after processing the blood in an oxygenator/heat exchanger, bypassing the heart and lungs completely. Both a backup arterial pump and connection to an emergency power system are necessary to ensure reliable pump operation.
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