Effect of exogenous nitric oxide during cardiopulmonary bypass on lung postperfusion histology.

We tested the hypothesis that nitric oxide (NO) administered during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) would preserve platelets and prevent postperfusion lung changes. Ten anesthetized Yorkshire pigs were put on normothermic CPB (right atrium to aorta) with a roller pump and membrane oxygenator for 1 hour. In the study group (n = 5), NO was delivered in the oxygenator's gas inflow line with a MiniNO system at 5-10 ppm throughout CPB.