“…If platelet damage in CPB follows the interaction with surface‐adsorbed fibrinogen, blocking it might preserve platelet function during CPB. Platelet adhesion to surfaces can be reduced by nitric oxide (NO) (Radomski, 1987), which also inhibits fibrinogen–platelet binding (Gries et al , 1998); infusion of the NO donor, S‐nitrosoglutathione, did not modify CPB‐induced changes in platelet expression of GpIb or P‐selectin (Langford et al , 1997), but 500 ppm of NO added to the sweep gas reduced platelet adhesion to the oxygenator membrane by 95%, at the cost of 4% methaemoglobinaemia (Sly et al , 1996). This direct approach, taking advantage of the gas transfer function of the platelet‐activating surface itself, looks both elegant and promising; further studies are required.…”