Modified ultrafiltration improves carbon dioxide removal after cardiopulmonary bypass in infants

Little is known about the role of modified ultrafiltration in ameliorating the adverse effects of the cardiopulmonary bypass on pulmonary function in infants. Twenty-nine nonrandomized consecutive infants (<12 months of age) who underwent unrestrictive ventricular septal defect closure between 1995 and 1998 were included in this study. Down's syndrome was associated in 9 p atients. The actual ventilator settings were highly homogeneous among all p atients and each time point in the study. Fourteen infants received modifie d ultrafiltration after the discontinuation of cardiopulmonary bypass. Fift een untreated patients served as the control group. Correlates of cardiac a nd pulmonary functions for both groups were compared. The arterial carbon d ioxide tension in the experimental group was significantly lower than in th e control group from 20 to 240 min after bypass. Arterial oxygenation and p ulmonary arterial pressure were similar in the 2 groups. Modified ultrafilt ration improves carbon dioxide removal after cardiopulmonary bypass in infa nts. This may potentially convey a beneficial impact on hemodynamics.