Effect of oxygenator type and bypass flow pattern on the P(a-ET)CO2 gradient

Changes in pre-bypass and post-bypass P(a-ET)CO2 gradients were evaluated regarding the type of bypass flow (pulsatile or nonpulsatile) and oxygenator (membrane or bubble). Duration of bypass and hemodynamic changes were analyzed also to determine their possible influence on PaCO2, PETCO2, and P(a-ET)CO2. A total of 36 adult patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass were anesthetized using a sufentanil-pancuronium-oxygen technique. Patients were divided into three groups based on the type of oxygenator and pump flow: group 1 (control group) consisted of a bubble oxygenator with nonpulsatile flow (BN), group 2 consisted of a bubble oxygenator with pulsatile flow (BP), and group 3 consisted of a membrane oxygenator with nonpulsatile flow (MN). Cardiac parameters (MAP, CI, SVR, and PVR) PaCO2, PETCO2, and P(a-ET)CO2 were determined pre-bypass and post-bypass following steady-state conditions. For the entire group there was a trend for the P(a-ET)CO2 gradient to increase in the post-bypass period (pre-bypass = 3.5 +/- 0.5 mm Hg, post-bypass = 4.3 +/- 0.5 mm Hg.). However, this increase was not statistically significant. Pulsatile flow (group 2) demonstrated a significant correlation with the change in P(a-ET)CO2 gradients from the pre-bypass to the post-bypass period (r = 0.85) when compared with the other two groups (group 1: r = -0.09 and group 3: r = 0.37). Thus, the P(a-ET)CO2 gradient tended to remain constant from the pre-bypass to the post-bypass period in group 2, whereas it increased in groups 1 and 3. Changes in MAP, CI, SVR, and PVR and the duration of CPB did not influence the P(a-ET)CO2 gradient.