Management of immune dysfunction after adult cardiac surgery.

Objective: Pulmonary dysfunction/multiorgan failure syndrome is an important cause of mortality and morbidity after cardiac operations. In this series, results of immune augmentation were assessed in patients experiencing pulmonary dysfunction/multiorgan failure syndrome after cardiac surgery.

Methods: Since 2002, 44 consecutive patients with primary antibiotic-refractory pulmonary dysfunction/multiorgan failure syndrome were treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (0.