[Haptoglobin in the course of surgery with the heart lung machine (author's transl)]

In 20 patients, who underwent open heart surgery, the results of quantitavely and semi-quantitavely determined haptoglobin (hp) were evaluated. A rapid method (Rapi tex-Hp-Test, Behring-Werke) was used. Five minutes after the heart lung machine was cut off hp decreased slightly, and increased about 200% at the 4th day after operation, compared to the preoperative value. These changes were less pronounced in patients with prosthetic heart values. Blood transfusions did not influence the results. There is a significant correlation between the results of hp determined quantitatively and semi-quantitatively.