Attenuated renal and intestinal injury after use of a mini-cardiopulmonary bypass system.

Background: Transient, subclinical myocardial, renal, intestinal, and hepatic tissue injury and impaired homeostasis is detectable even in low-risk patients undergoing conventional cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Small extracorporeal closed circuits with low priming volumes and optimized perfusion have been developed to reduce deleterious effects of CPB.

Methods: A prospective, randomized trial was conducted in 49 patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass graft surgery either with the use of a standard or mini-CPB system (Synergy).