Simplified Solution to Eliminating Electrical Noise During Cardiac Surgery

Electrical noise will be present in the operating room even under ideal circumstances. The addition of the cardiopulmonary bypass machine to the other machinery in the operating room introduces one more source of electrical noise. Identifying and managing this interference may aid in reducing artifactual signals on the electrocardiogram (EKG) monitor. If electrical interference occurs during the onset of cardiopulmonary bypass, an uninterpretable rhythm pattern on the electrocardiogram monitor may be present. Adding an extra ground from the main pump head to the heater/cooler helps to reduce noise and, therefore, effectively diminishes pump-generated artifact on the EKG.