Influences on lactate levels in children early after cardiac surgery: prime solution and age.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Hyperlactataemia is often seen after cardiac surgery in children and is associated with an increased risk of adverse outcome, especially in infants and young children. However, we noticed that many older children after cardiac surgery had elevated lactate levels in the absence of other markers of oxygen debt or cardiovascular instability and had an uncomplicated postoperative course. Many older children undergo surgery without blood products being used in the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuit prime. The aim of this study was to determine whether lactate levels in children after CBP are influenced by age and/or pump prime solutions. METHODS: We studied 100 children undergoing op..