ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the effects of inhaled iloprost on pulmonary hypertension after cardiopulmonary bypass in patients with congenital heart disease undergoing surgical correction of anomaly. Methods Fifty-eight patients with congenital heart disease aged 14-60 yr undergoing surgical correction of anomaly under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) were enrolled in this study. Radial artery was cannulated before induction of anesthesia. A 6-lumen pulmonary catheter was placed via right internal jugular vein after tracheal intubation. Their mean pulmonary arterial pressure was still > 25 mm Hg after operation. ECG, HR, BP, CO, PAP and SpO_2 were continuously monitored. Aerosolized iloprost 10 fig was inhaled via nebulizer after CPB. Hemodynamics were measured before iloprost inhalation (baseline) and at 0, 5, 15, 30 and 60 min after the end of iloprost inhalation. Results There were 28 patients with pulmonary hypertension after CPB among the 58 patients with congenital heart disease. Inhalation of iloprost 10μg significantly decreased mPAP, pulmonary vascular resistance and intrapulmonary shunt as compared with the baseline. Iloprost inhalation could also improve significantly CO and the mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO_2 ). Conclusion Iloprost inhaled after CPB can effectively reduce pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance in patients with congenital heart disease undergoing surgical correction of anomaly and help them wean from CPB.