Abdominal complications after cardiac surgery in cardiopulmonary bypass

Gastrointestinal problems are an infrequent but serious consequence of cardiac surgery that includes cardiopulmonary bypass. Predictors of these complications are not well developed, and the role of fundamental variables remains controversial. Between July 1998 and August 2002, 1,552 patients (1,106 male and 446 female), mean age 56 years, underwent heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Among those 1,552 patients, 21 (1.35%) had gastrointestinal complications, mainly because of gastrointestinal bleeding due to gastritis and five of them required surgery. We present these five patients, three with intestinal ischemia, two with intestinal bleeding. There Hoffmeister-Finsterer operation, Rydygier resection, hemicolectomy, appendectomy with cecum sewing and sigmoid resection were performed. The mortality in this group was 60% (three of five), and the cause of death was multiorgan insufficiency.

Careful monitoring and physical examination of these high-risk patients following cardiac surgery is required for early detection and effective treatment.