Pulsatile flow, a “forgotten technique”. Option or choice?

Abstract

This paper summarizes the existing recommendations on the pulsatile flow. The recommendations respond to the needs or questions of the benefit of a particular procedure, they are the advice given to a person because it is considered advantageous or beneficial, most times supported by the experience and / or literature review. It is important to say that with any recommendation the clinical judgment always prevails and it is necessary that the reader knows three basic concepts: they are not standards, nor guides, nor an absolute requirement; they do not guarantee a specific evolution; they can be: adopted, modified and / or rejected.
The pulsatle flow is a technique that has been somewhat forgotten and this review tries not to convince the reader about a technique, but rather to assess the use of pulsatile flow during extracorporeal circulation. It is a concept called customized, individualized or personalized perfusion, where, based on the existing human and equipment resource, patient’s own factors and type of surgery, the conduct of the extracorporeal ciculation is optimized.