• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.28 no.10
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• pp.892-899
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• 1995

Pancreatitis is a known complication of cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Although ischemia is believed to be a factor, the exact cause of pancreatitis after cardiopulmonary bypass remains unknown.We prospectively studied 67 consecutive patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass for evaluation of the pancreatic injury after cardiopulmonary bypas. Serial measurement of amylase level in serum and urine was done postoperatively. Hyperamylasemia was detected in 15 patients[22.4% , of whom no patient had pancreatitis. There was no significant difference between serum amylase level and parameters such as cardiopulmonay bypass time, aortic cross clamp time, mean blood pressure, rectal temperature, flow rate, and use of circulatory arrest during cardiopulmonary bypass. Hyperamylasuria was detected in 8 patients[11.9% , and urine amylase level was elevated significantly in the groups with prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass, mean blood pressure more than 40mmHg, and rectal temperature more than 20 $^{\circ}$C. We recommend that serum amylase level and/or amylase-creatinine clearance ratio is measured for ealy detection and management of pancreatitis after cardiopulmonary bypass.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.502-508
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• 1998

Proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-$\alpha$(TNF-$\alpha$) have been implicated in myocardial and organ dysfunction associated with postperfusion syndrome. We tested the hypothesis that cytokine productions are depressed by preoperative cortiosteroid injection for cardiopulmonary bypass(CPB) and the postoperative courses will be better than without steriod pretreated cases. Cardiac surgery was performed in randomized blind fashion for 20 patients from June 1996 to September 1996. In the steroid group(n=10), corticosteroid(dexamethasone 1 mg/kg) was injected 1 hour before anesthetic induction, but in the control group(n=10), nothing was injected. Each of groups were sampled 11 times as scheduled for TNF-$\alpha$ bioassays. We have checked EKG, cardiac enzymes(CPK, LDH with isoenzyme), WBC count preoperative day, one day and three days after operation. Viatal signs were continuously monitored for three postoperaive days. In the postoperative period three patients in the control group had elevated body temperature and four patients had hypotension that required considerable intravenous fluid administration. But steroid injected patients showed normal body temperture and acceptable blood pressures without supportive treatment. CPK enzymes rose in control group higher than steroid group at postoperative 1st and 3rd day(CPK; 1122$\pm$465 vs 567$\pm$271, 864$\pm$42 vs 325$\pm$87), and CPK-MB enzymes rose in control group higher than steroid group at postoperative 1st day(106.4$\pm$115.1 vs 29.5$\pm$22.4)(P=0.02). Arterial tumor necrosis factor-$\alpha$ rose during cardiopulmonary bypass, peaking at 5 minutes before the end of aortic cross clamping(ACC-5min) in steroid group(11.9$\pm$4.7 pg/ml), and 5 minutes before the end of cardiopulmonary bypass(CPB-5min) in control group(22.3$\pm$6.8 pg/ml). The steroid pretreated patients had a shorter period of time in respirator suport time, ICU stay day, hospital admission day. We conclude that corticosteroid suppress cytokine production during and after cardiopulmonary bypass, and may improve the postoperative course through inhibition of reperfusion injury such as myocardial stunning and hemodynamic instability.