[Effects of ulinastatin on extravascular lung water volume in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass]

Pulmonary dysfunction often follows cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). In the present study, we examined (1) the effects of the human urinary tripsin inhibitor ulinastatin on the extravascular lung water volume (EVLW), and (2) A-aDO2 as an indicator of pulmonary function, in 30 adult patients undergoing CPB. We administered 600,000 U of ulinastatin intravenously immediately before start of CPB in 15 patients (U group). In the control group without ulinastatin, remarkable transient increases in EVLW and A-aDO2 occurred after CPB. In contrast, in the U group extravascular lung water volume level was maintained within the normal range and an inhibited transient increase in A-aDO2 after CPB was observed. We conclude that the administration of ulinastatin in patients undergoing CPB may be useful to prevent pulmonary dysfunction following CPB.