Although potassium is critical for normal electro physiology, the associations between pre-operative serum potassium level and peri-operative adverse events such as arrhythmias in cardiac surgery have not been examined in detail.The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of abnormal pre-operative serum potassium levels and whether such levels were associated with adverse peri-operative events in 50 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. Intra-operative and post-operative arrhythmias, the need for cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, cardiac death and death due to any cause prior to discharge from the post-operative intensive care unit were studied. The incidence for adverse outcome was 0.5% for death, 0.5% for cardiac death and 2% for cardio pulmonary resuscitation in patients with hypokalemia (serum potassium level <3.5 meq. L(-1)). Hypokalemia was found to be a predictor of serious peri-operative (OR:2.2; 95% Cl: 1.2-4.1) and post-operative arrhythmias (OR: 1.7;95%Cl: 1.0-2.7).Pre-operative potassium repletion is low cost and low risk treatment measure and the data from this study suggests that screening and repletion be considered in patients scheduled for cardiac surgery.

This study sought to investigate the effects of cr and pH stat regimens on cardiac outcome during moderate hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass. 100 patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) were randomly assigned with respect to the target value for PaCO 2 during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) into 2 groups. In 50 patients the target PaCO 2 was 40 mmHg, measured at a standard electrode temperature of 37 o C while in the other 50 patients the target PaCO= was 40 mmHg, corrected to the patients nasopharyngeal temperature (lowest value reached: 32 + 0.5~163 There were no significant differences between groups with regards to cardiac outcome such as appearance of new 'Q' waves on the electrocardiogram, postoperative creatinine kinase-MB fraction, systemic vascular resistance (SVR), cardiac index (CI), need for inotropic or intra-aortic balloon pump support and the length of postoperative ventilation or intensive care unit stay. These findings support the hypothesis that CO 2 management during CPB at moderate hypothermia has no clinically significant effect on cardiac outcome.

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Background: Ocular complications during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) are common, and one reason could be increased intraocular pressure (IOP).Methods: We measured IOP with a Perkins applanation tonometer in 20 patients having elective coronary artery bypass graft surgery with CPB.Results: IOP increased when CPB was started (p <0.001), and was maintained for 20 minutes, with a gradual