[Broncho-alveolar lavage cellularity in patients submitted to myocardial revascularization with cardiopulmonary bypass: three case reports].

Background And Objectives: Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is a primary determinant of systemic inflammatory response (SIRS) during cardiac procedures. It has been shown in an experimental model that CPB may increase cytokine production. This study aimed at evaluating post-CPB lung cell activation by investigating broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL) cellularity in patients submitted to myocardial revascularization (MR) with CPB.

Case Reports: Participated in this prospective study 3 adult patients submitted to MR with CPB. After general anesthesia induction and tracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation was installed with valve circle system; except during CPB, tidal volume was maintained between 8 and 10 mL.kg-1 with 50% O2 and air. Before aortic unclamping, 40 cmH2O pulmonary inflations were performed. Two BAL samples were collected from all patients at beginning and end of procedure, after anticoagulation reversion. BAL was aspired after 60 mL infusion of 0.9% saline through the bronchofibroscope tube. Material was then referred to laboratorial processing. Analysis has evidenced mean increase in total number of cells from 0.6 x 10(6)cel.dL-1 to 6.8 x 10(6) cel.dL-1 with increased neutrophils from 0.8% to 4.7%; 0.6% to 6.2% and 0.5% to 5.3% for each patient, respectively. There has been increased pulmonary fluid cellularity after CPB.

Conclusions: Leukocyte inflow is described in different clinical pulmonary inflammatory conditions, such as adult respiratory distress syndrome. It is known that CPB is related to systemic and pulmonary inflammation with increased number of cells after CPB and predominance of macrophages.