CLINICAL COMPARISON OF BLOOD OXYGENATORS - A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

The results for platelet count (PC), activated clotting time (ACT), po stoperative bleeding, and hemoderivatives usage in cardiac surgeries w ere crossed against the type of oxygenator used. These were two bubble and one membrane type. A sample of the surgery population for each ty pe was selected at random. Thus, the patients in this study were divid ed into 3 groups: BA: 87 patients, bubble oxygenator; BE: 87 patients, bubble oxygenator; M: 73 patients, membrane oxygenator. The groups we re statistically similar (p > 0.05) for age, body surface area, cardio pulmonary bypass (CPB) time, and prevalence of cardiac disease. The ra te of PC 15 min after CPB end and before its beginning was BA, 0.48 +/ - 0.02; BB, 0.49 +/- 0.02; M, 0.55 +/- 0.03. The rate of ACT after pro tamine administration and before CPB was BA, 1.22 +/- 0.03; BE, 1.16 /- 0.03; M, 1.16 +/- 0.03. Volume (mi) of total postoperative bleeding (POB) was BA, 904 +/- 72; BE, 963 +/- 73; M, 867 +/- 83. Patient perc entage that used hemoderivatives (HD) was BA, 86.3%; BE, 88.5%; M, 90. 0%. No statistical difference was found between groups (p > 0.05). Thi s study indicates that although membrane oxygenators have better theor etic and experimental biocompatibility, no significant difference in P C, ACT, POB, and HD usage was observed in the clinical setting. All va lues are expressed as the mean I standard error of the mean.