Hyperamylasemia after cardiopulmonary bypass

Postpump pancreatitis has been described to occur in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Twenty patients were prospectively analyzed with sera drawn for total serum amylase, pancreatic isoamylase, and nonpancreatic isoamylase levels. Six of 19 patients were found to be hyperamylasemic postoperatively, the majority of which were not due to pancreatic isoamylasemia . No patient had clinical pancreatitis. These findings suggest that elevations of serum amylase is common after cardiopulmonary bypass and is not indicative of pancreatitis.