HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Author home page(s): Cesare Beghi Francesco Nicolini Andrea Agostinelli Alessandro Maria Budillon Tiziano Gherli Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Beghi, C. Articles by Gherli, T. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Beghi, C. Articles by Gherli, T. Related Collections Extracorporeal circulation

Ann Thorac Surg 2006;81:1396-1400
© 2006 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

---

Original article: Cardiovascular

Mini–Cardiopulmonary Bypass System: Results of a Prospective Randomized Study

^a Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Parma, Italy
^b Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Parma, Italy
^c Department of Anesthesiology, University of Parma, Italy
^d Biochemical Analysis Laboratory, Ospedale Maggiore of Parma, Parma, Italy

Accepted for publication October 17, 2005.

^_* Address correspondence to Dr Nicolini, Cattedra e Divisione di Cardiochirurgia, Università degli Studi, Via A. Gramsci 14, Parma 43100, Italy (Email: francesconicolini{at}libero.it).

BACKGROUND: We studied postoperative mortality and morbidity after coronary artery bypass graft surgery performed using the mini–extracorporeal circulation (MECC) system.

METHODS: From June 2001 to June 2002, we randomly enrolled 60 patients who underwent isolated elective coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and were operated on with the MECC system (30 patients: group A) or standard cardiopulmonary bypass (30 patients: group B). Serial blood samples were collected to evaluate the main preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative clinical and biological variables; and to measure hemolysis, interleukin-6 cytokine, and plasma C-reactive protein release.

RESULTS: A more stable hemoglobin level was detected in group A. The platelet count did not show a significant difference between the two groups. Interleukin-6 cytokine release showed higher values in group B, although no difference between groups was statistically significant. The time course of circulating plasma C-reactive protein concentration exhibited the same increase in both groups. Plasma free hemoglobin levels showed higher hemolysis peaks in group B, although a statistical significant difference was detected only at 4 hours after surgery. A higher cardiac index and reduced systemic and pulmonary vascular resistance index in the early postoperative period were found in group A at postoperative time 30 minutes.

CONCLUSIONS: Our experience shows that MECC offers satisfactory clinical benefits in terms of good hemodynamic support, safety, and low morbidity, although the study failed to demonstrate a significant clear superiority of MECC versus conventional cardiopulmonary bypass. The results need to be confirmed by a larger prospective, randomized study comparing MECC and standard cardiopulmonary bypass.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. Prasser, M. Abbady, C. Keyl, A. Liebold, M. Tenderich, A. Philipp, and C. Wiesenack Effect of a miniaturized extracorporeal circulation (MECCTMSystem) on liver function Perfusion, July 1, 2007; 22(4): 245 - 250. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. Glauber, A. Farneti, S. Bevilacqua, and J. Karimov Pump-assisted beating heart surgery MMCTS, February 19, 2007; 2007(0219): 943. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]