Transfer tray and priming cart for neonatal cannulation and related methods

A method of cannulating an umbilical cord of a neonate on a priming apparatus, the priming apparatus comprising a blood circuit comprising an arterial end, a venous end opposite the arterial end, a blood conduit extending between the arterial and venous ends, and an oxygenator disposed in line with the conduit between the arterial end and the venous end, the priming apparatus further comprising a priming circuit comprising a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a priming conduit extending between the first and second ends, wherein the first end of the priming conduit is configured to releasably connect with the arterial end of the blood conduit, and the second end of the priming conduit is configured to releasably connect with the venous end of the blood conduit, such that the blood conduit is in liquid communication with the priming conduit, the blood circuit and the priming circuit being configured to receive a priming liquid, the method comprising:

• providing the neonate on an upper surface of the priming apparatus;
• calculating a weight of the neonate via a weight sensor on the upper surface of the priming apparatus;
• connecting the arterial end of the blood conduit to an artery in the umbilical cord of the neonate;
• and
• connecting the venous end of the blood conduit to a vein in the umbilical cord of the neonate,
• wherein, when at last one of the arterial and the venous ends of the blood conduit are connected to the umbilical cord, the blood circuit is not in liquid communication with the priming circuit.

A method of priming a blood circuit with a priming liquid, the blood circuit being configured to be connected to a neonate, the blood circuit comprising a first end, a second end opposite the first end, a blood conduit extending between the first and second ends, and an oxygenator disposed in line with the blood conduit, the method comprising:

• connecting the first end of the blood circuit to a first end of a priming conduit of a priming circuit, such that the blood conduit and the priming conduit are in liquid communication with each other;
• connecting the second end of the blood conduit to a second end of the priming conduit, the second end being spaced from the first end of the priming conduit, the priming conduit extending between its first and second ends;
• receiving the priming liquid into the priming conduit from a priming liquid source;
• actuating movement of the priming liquid within the priming conduit into the blood conduit by pumping the priming liquid toward the connected blood conduit;
• after receiving the priming liquid into the blood conduit, discharging the priming liquid from the blood conduit into the priming conduit, the priming liquid having passed through the blood conduit and the oxygenator prior to being discharged into the priming conduit;
• and
• heating the priming liquid by contacting a heater to the priming conduit.