Background After cardiac surgery, most patients have development of third-space fluid retention, commonly treated with diuretics. In some patients diuretics are ineffective. In this subset, a simplified system for ultrafiltration was used for fluid extraction. Methods After obtaining permission from the institutional review board, the hospital charts of the first 30 patients having ultrafiltration were retrospectively reviewed to abstract data on fluid extraction and patient outcomes. Data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation. Results From April 2004 through January 2006, 30 patients were selected for ultrafiltration. In one patient, adequate intravenous access could not be obtained. There were 11 female and 18 male (age, 69 ± 12 years) postoperative cardiac surgery patients. The mean ultrafiltration run was 10.5 ± 9 hours, resulting in fluid extraction of 3528 ± 2111 mL per run and 5596 ± 3870 mL per patient (11 patients had more than 1 run). Hospital stay was 9.4 ± 4.4 days. Three patients died unrelated to ultrafiltration. Conclusions Ultrafiltration as an alternative means of fluid extraction in postoperative cardiac surgery patients was effective and well tolerated.

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