Influence of pericardial suction blood retransfusion on memory function and release of protein S100B

To study the influence of pericardial suction blood (PSB) on postoperative memory disturbances and release patterns of protein S100B during and after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).

Sixty male patients admitted for coronary artery bypass surgery were prospectively randomized to receive PSB either by using conventional cardiotomy suction retransfusion or after cell-saver processing.

The concentration of S100B rose during the period of CPB from 0.065 +/- 0.004 to 0.24 +/- 0.001 microg/L (p < 0.001). PSB contained 18.0 +/- 1.7 microg/L of S100B. Direct retransfusion from the cardiotomy reservoir made the systemic level increase to 1.42 +/- 0.19 microg/L compared to 0.25 +/- 0.02 microg/L using a cell-saver. Signs of postoperative memory dysfunction ( > 1 SD) were discovered in one of three tests, but were unrelated to technique of retransfusion. No associations were found between serum concentrations of S100B and memory function.

In this study, retransfusion of PSB during cardiac surgery appeared not to cause memory disturbances. PSB contained high concentrations of protein S100B making its use as a marker of cerebral injury unsuitable.