To evaluate the potential of centrifugal blood pumps for saving blood, 120 patients scheduled for elective coronary artery bypass grafting were entered into a prospective randomized trial. A standard roller pump (group I) was compared with a centrifugal blood pump (group II) and roller pump plus aprotinin (group III). There was no significant difference between groups I and II with respect to free haemoglobin, lactic dehydrogenase, serum bilirubin, platelet surface glycoprotein IIb-IIIa and granule membrane protein 140, chest-tube drainage, use of blood products, length of stay in intensive care, time on ventilator and postoperative mortality. Aprotinin reduced chest-tube drainage and use of blood products significantly. Three cases of graft occlusions were noted in group III. Centrifugal blood pumps offer no advantage in routine heart surgery over conventional roller pumps. Aprotinin reduces blood loss, but does not influence GP IIb-IIIa and GMP 140 expression on blood platelets.

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