CHANGES IN COLLOID OSMOTIC PRESSURE AND PLASMA ALBUMIN CONCENTRATION ASSOCIATED WITH EXTRACORPOREAL CIRCULATION

Abstract
Colloid osmotic pressure (COP), plasma albumin concentration, haematocrit, and blood-gas tensions were measured in 16 patients undergoing open-heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. The use of crystalloid priming and cardioplegia solutions resulted in a 60% decrease in COP, a 48% decrease in plasma albumin concentration and a 35% decrease in haematocnt These measurements had returned to pre-perf usion values 6 h after the end of surgery. The alveolar-arterial Po2 difference increased significantly after by-pass and returned to pre-perfusion values within the same time scale Right-to-left shunt increased from 7.9 to 10.3% 30min after the end of by-pass. It is concluded that, in the absence of an increase in left atrial pressure, marked decreases in COP can be tolerated without the occurrence of pulmonary oedema.

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