Leukocyte depletion during cardiac surgery with extracorporeal circulation
Cardiopulmonary bypass is associated with systemic inflammation that may contribute to increased perioperative mortality. Depletion of circulating leukocytes may reduce the inflammatory response. We studied the effect of a leukocyte depleting leukocyte reduction filters activation during cardiopulmonary bypass in high risk patients. Fifty patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting with a preoperative high risk were randomly placed in an arterial line leukocyte filter group with a leukocyte depleting filter. Blood sampling took place from the arterial line to analyze polymorphnuclear elastase and myeloperoxidase at six time points.
