Incidence of gastrointestinal complications in cardiopulmonary bypass patients

Gastrointestinal complications after cardiac surgery are associated with a high mortality rate. Because of the absence of early specific clinical signs, diagnosis is often delayed. The present study seeks to determine predictive risk factors for subsequent gastrointestinal complications after cardiosurgical procedures. Within a 1-year period, a total of 1116 patients who had undergone open heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass were prospectively studied for gastrointestinal complications. To determine predictive factors, all case histories of the patients were analyzed. Of the 1116 patients, 23 (2.1%) had gastrointestinal complications during the postoperative period, 10 of whom had to undergo subsequent abdominal surgery. Of these 23 patients, 20 died. Early gastrointestinal complications, which occurred mostly on postoperative days 6 or 7, consisted of bowel ischemia or hepatic failure. Late complications were gastrointestinal bleeding, pseudomembranous colitis, cholecystitis, and septic rupture of a spleen. The relative risk for abdominal complications after cardiopulmonary bypass was highly increased in association with (1) a cardiac index less than 2.0 l/min-1/(m2)-1, (2) postoperative onset of atrial fibrillation, (3) emergency surgery, (4) need for vasopressors, (5) need for intraaortic balloon counterpulsation, and (6) need for early redo thoracotomy due to surgical complications. All patients with necrotic bowel disease had elevated serum lactate levels. Furthermore, cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic clamping times were significantly prolonged in patients who developed gastrointestinal complications. A number of predictive factors contribute to the development of gastrointestinal complications after cardiopulmonary bypass surgery. Knowledge of these factors may lead to earlier identification of patients at increased risk and may allow more efficient and earlier interventions to reduce mortality.