Affiliations: [a] Department of Cardiothoracic, Vascular Anesthesia and Intensive Care, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy
| [b] Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Marco Ranucci, M.D., Director of Clinical Research of the IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Via Morandi 30, 20097 San Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy. Tel.: +39 02 5277754; Fax: +39 02 55602262; cardioanestesia@virgilio.it.
Abstract: BACKGROUND:Cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass is associated with important changes in the microcirculation, usually attributed to endothelial dysfunction. Another common finding of cardiac surgery is postoperative thrombocytopenia and platelet loss of function. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the association between microvascular flow pattern and postoperative changes in platelet count and function in cardiac surgery patients. METHODS:Twelve adult cardiac surgery patients received microvascular circulation (sidestream darkfield sublingual mucosa analysis) and platelet count and function (multiple electrode aggregometry ADPtest and TRAPtest) assessment before and after cardiopulmonary bypass. RESULTS:After cardiopulmonary bypass, sublingual microcirculation showed a significantly (P = 0.001) decreased microvascular flow index and increased heterogeneity index (P = 0.006). Platelet function significantly decrease after cardiopulmonary bypass both at ADPtest (P = 0.011) and TRAPtest (P = 0.002). Preoperative patterns of poor microvascular perfusion (low perfused vessels density and total vessels density) were significantly associated with lower values of post-cardiopulmonary bypass platelet function (ADPtest, P = 0.009, TRAPtest, P = 0.031) and count (P = 0.048). CONCLUSIONS:A preoperative disturbance of the microcirculation is associated with a greater postoperative platelet dysfunction. Endothelial damage, chemical and mechanical stimuli are the possible link between the two patterns.
