OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of pericardial suction blood re-transfusion in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) on inflammatory cytokines, myocardial injury and lung function.

METHODS31 patients of off-pump CABG were divided into two study groups (OPCABG1 group and OPCABG2 group) according to the amount of pericardial suction blood re-transfusion beyond or less than 600 ml. 13 patients of on-pump CABG were control group. Serum samples from vein were collected for measurement of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and TNF-alpha pre-operation and 1, 4, 24, 48 hours post-operation respectively. The results of CK-MB, TnI, AaDO2 and PaO2/FiO2 were recorded.

RESULTSPatients of the three groups had no significant difference in terms of gender, age, bodyweight, history of hypertension and cardiac infarction and diabetes, EF and left ventricular end diastolic of pre-operation, the amount of bypass graft and shed blood. Of the three groups, IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10 reached peak level one hour after the operation, and dropped to the pre-operation level 72 hours after the operation. One hour after the operation, the level of IL-6 and IL-8 in OPCABG1 group was higher than in OPCABG2 group (P < 0.05) and about the same in CABG group (P > 0.05). Four hours after the operation, the level of CK-MB in OPCABG1 group was lower than that of CABG group (P < 0.05) and about the same in OPCABG2 group (P >0.05). 4 and 24 hours after the operation, the level of TnI in OPCABG1 group was lower than that of CABG group (P < 0.05) and about the same in OPCABG2 group (P > 0.05). Among the three groups, there was no significant difference in AaDO2 and PaO2/FiO2.

CONCLUSIONSRe-transfusion of large amount of pericardial suction blood can increase serum level of IL-6, IL-8, but it can not cause myocardial injury and affect the gas exchange function of lung significantly.