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A fluid warmer allowing the transfusion of warmed blood products and intravenous fluids should be available.¹⁴

Availability of a rapid infusion device should be considered for the management of major haemorrhage.¹⁴

A cell salvage service should be available for cases where massive blood loss is anticipated and for patients who decline blood products. Staff who operate this equipment should receive training and use it frequently to maintain their skills.

Ultrasound should be available for the placement of vascular catheters.¹⁵

Cardiac anaesthesia and surgery are carried out under intensive physiological patient monitoring. Equipment used routinely for monitoring during cardiac surgery should be available. This includes invasive pressure monitoring for both systemic arterial and central venous pressures.^10,15

Transesophageal echocardiogram should be immediately available.

Complex cases may require additional monitoring, such as pulmonary arterial pressure monitoring, measurement of cardiac output and cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy.

Monitoring during cardiopulmonary bypass should conform to the standards recommended by the joint working group of the Society of Clinical Perfusion Scientists of Great Britain and Ireland, Association for Cardiothoracic Anaesthesia and Critical Care (ACTACC), and Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery in Great Britain and Ireland.^7,19

There should be a planned maintenance and replacement programme for all anaesthetic equipment.^33,34

An intraaortic counter pulsation balloon pump should be available.²⁰