Page 52 - ANZCP Gazette May 2023

AROUND THE PUMP ROOM
A Visit to Melbourne Grace Agbulos CCP, FANZCP
I felt humbled and elated to win the 2022 Gazette Award for Outstanding Contribution to the ANZCP Gazette, titled ‘Around the Pump Room’ – published in April 2022. My award was given at the 3SCTS (The Inaugural Tri-Society Cardiac and Thoracic Symposium) in Cairns, QLD, November 2022. This award gave me the opportunity to visit a couple of cardiac centres and companies in Melbourne, Victoria.
One of the cardiac units I visited was The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) in Melbourne, Victoria. The RCH has been providing outstanding care for Victoria's children and their families for 150 years. It is the major specialist paediatric hospital in Victoria and their care extends to children from Tasmania, southern New South Wales, and other states around Australia and overseas.
I had the opportunity to observe a Norwood Procedure with perfusionists Steve Bottrell and Jatz Suthumporn. They were using the Quantum heart-lung machine and ‘Mr Frosty’ heater-cooler. It was impressive to see paediatric set-ups that used smaller oxygenator and tubing sizes compared to adult size. To see the ‘Mr Frosty’ heater-cooler used– using Glycol for its heat transfer fluid – was new to me.
Photo 1. (L-R) Steve Bottrel, Jatz Suthumporn and Author at The Royal Children's Hospital
Photo 2. The Royal Children’s Hospital paediatrics set-up
Photo 3. Quantum Heart-lung machine at The Royal Children’s Hospital
49 MAY 2023 | www.anzcp.org