Normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass & post-operative blood loss.

Normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) has been shown to have less disruptive effects on coagulation factors and platelet function. Ninety patients undergoing valvular heart surgery were randomly divided into two groups of 45 patients each to undergo normothermic (35 degrees C-37 degrees C) or hypothermic (28 degrees C) bypass. We found normothermic bypass to significantly reduce bypass time and requirements of fluid and blood post-operatively. However, there was no reduction in post-operative blood loss, re-exploration rate or blood product requirements by use of normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass.