After5Houston - What Happens When Your Heart Stops?

A Conversation About What Happens When Your Heart Stops

Join a cardiac perfusionist for What Happens When Your Heart Stops? A behind-the-scenes look at the technology that allows surgeons to operate on a heart that has temporarily stopped beating. When the heart pauses, the rest of the body still needs oxygen and blood flow. So how do doctors keep everything running?

Together, we'll explore how the cardiopulmonary bypass machine, often called the heart-lung machine, temporarily takes over the work of the heart and lungs, and how perfusionists help manage this critical technology during surgery. We'll also look at ECMO, a related form of life support that gained wider public attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how these technologies are used in some of medicine's most extraordinary cases.

What We'll Cover:

• How the heart-lung machine works - Discover how cardiopulmonary bypass keeps blood circulating and oxygen flowing while surgeons operate on the heart.

• The role of the perfusionist - Go behind the scenes of cardiac surgery to understand the people, decisions, and technology that help keep patients alive throughout the procedure.

• Beyond the operating room - Explore ECMO, how it supports patients when the heart or lungs need help, and how this technology is used in critical medical situations.

Whether you're curious about heart surgery, fascinated by medical technology, or simply wondering how the body keeps going when the heart stops, you'll gain a new appreciation for the people and systems working behind the scenes to save lives.

Don't miss this chance to connect with your After5Society.

About The Speaker:

Vivian Moreno is a Houston-native cardiac perfusionist with HET, who provides critical circulatory support for adult cardiac procedures and manages extracorporeal life support. Vivian earned her Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Kent in England before pursuing cancer research at Yale University and cardiovascular research at Columbia University Medical Center where she co-authored a publication in Science Translational Medicine on serotonin transporter activity and degenerative mitral valve disease. She completed her Master of Science in Cardiovascular Sciences and Perfusion Medicine at Hofstra University, with clinical training at Lenox Hill Hospital and Columbia University-New York Presbyterian Hospital. She is also the host of Vitals & Vibes with Vivian, a podcast featuring conversations about medicine, culture, & people behind the stories.

Good to know before you come:

• Arrive early to grab a drink and get settled

• The speaker portion lasts 1 hour, with optional time to stay and socialize afterward

• This is a participatory event